Manila, Philippines – The 38 Filipino seafarers aboard the MV Hondius continues to work, despite the threat of Hantavirus that killed three people on board the ship.
In a press briefing, Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac confirmed Thursday, that the thirty-eight Filipino Seafarers are in good condition, while the ship is docked in the Canary Islands, which are part of the jurisdiction of Spain.
With the help of the Licensed Manning Agency and the Ship owner of the ship, the government can directly talk and monitors the welfare of Filipino seafarers.
Although there is no certainty yet for the repatriation of the Filipino Crew members aboard the MV Hondius, the government assured that the World Health Organization’s protocol is in place for isolating the ship’s passengers and crews.
With the DMW also coordinating with the Department of Health, for now, medical protocols must be followed to prevent the spread of the virus.
Because Hantavirus is a rare strain and comes from rodent’s feces and urine, there are concerns about the possibility of the virus spreading, particularly trhough human transmission.
The disease is still considered a global health concern because of its potential to spread.
However, health experts have previously confirmed that the virus has little chance of becoming an outbreak, like COVID-19.
Another thing that DMW assured is that the Filipino crew members have not been inflicted with the virus, citing that there is a medical records for declaring such Filipinos free from the virus.
Currently, DMW is continuing to consult with the DOH and other agencies for the safety and compliance with proper medical protocols, due to the request of Filipinos to be evacuated from the ship.
The three fatalities on the ship were all passengers of the crew ship, while monitoring of other passengers on the ship continues.
Particularly with symptoms similar to previous cases of Hantavirus victims.—Alvin Pelobello, Eurotv News