By Cason Ho

By Andrea Mayes

Topic: Public Health

Fri 15 May 2026 at 1:03pm

Six passengers from the hantavirus-stricken cruise ship are on a repatriation flight.

In short:

A plane with six passengers from the MV Hondius cruise ship has landed near Perth.

They are healthy and have no symptoms, says Federal Health Minister Mark Butler.

What's next?

The passengers will stay at a quarantine centre for at least three weeks.

Six people from a cruise ship with a deadly hantavirus outbreak have arrived in Australia.

Four Australians, one resident, and one New Zealander came on a repatriation flight from the Netherlands.

The plane landed at 11am WST.

The plane landed at RAAF Base Pearce and the passengers went to a quarantine centre.

The passengers were taken to the quarantine facility with police.

Passengers wave

The passengers waved at reporters from a minibus.

The passengers and driver wore protective gear.

The six passengers tested negative for hantavirus and are healthy.

They will have a health check and more tests.

The passengers arrived at the Bullsbrook Centre for National Resilience.

The passengers were tested and processed before going to the quarantine centre.

They will quarantine for three weeks.

The flight crew and a doctor will also quarantine for two weeks.

The minivan with passengers arrived at the quarantine centre with tight security.

Everyone on the flight wore protective gear.

The plane will be decontaminated.

A 500-bed quarantine centre in Perth will be used for the passengers.

What's next for the passengers?

The passengers will be cared for at the quarantine centre by staff from Darwin.

The rooms have balconies, TVs, and wi-fi.

The minister thanks the passengers for cooperating.

The passengers will stay at the Bullsbrook facility.

The government's responsibility is to keep the passengers safe.

Further arrangements are being made after the three-week quarantine.

The Bullsbrook facility is where the passengers will stay.

The government will follow World Health Organization advice.

The five Australians are from New South Wales and Queensland.

The WHO reported 11 cases and three deaths from the hantavirus outbreak.

Eight cases were confirmed and two were probable.

The cruise ship MV Hondius was affected by the hantavirus outbreak.

Two new cases were reported from France and Spain.

Fri 15 May 2026 at 1:03pm

Fri 15 May 2026 at 3:36pm

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