Six passengers from a cruise ship at the centre of a deadly hantavirus outbreak will soon return to Australia, after the government confirmed a flight has been secured for the evacuees.
The four Australian citizens, one permanent resident and one New Zealander, who were evacuated from the MV Hondius, are due to land in Perth on Friday ahead of a three-week quarantine.
Federal Health Minister Mark Butler confirmed the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade had secured a suitable aircraft and crew to transport the group, due to land in the Netherlands at 4pm Sydney time and then take off about 90 minutes later.
"Obviously, Foreign Affairs and Trade have also secured all of the necessary clearances and approvals to travel from the Netherlands to Perth," he told reporters on Thursday.
"Six passengers are still in good health, they have all tested negative for hantavirus and are showing no symptoms as well."
Passengers and crew will wear Personal Protective Equipment on the flight and upon arrival at RAAF Base Pearce, north-east of Perth.
"There are very strict conditions about the flight, about the landing and about the quarantine arrangements," Mr Butler said.
The evacuees will spend three weeks at a federal government-managed quarantine facility, in Bullsbrook, which was established during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Staff from the national critical care and trauma response centre, headquartered in Darwin, have already been deployed to the facility ready to receive the passengers on Friday.
"These are expert staff, well experienced in infectious disease emergencies, alongside a range of other emergencies," Mr Butler said.
The MV Hondius had been carrying 147 passengers and crew from 23 countries when it departed from Argentina on April 1.
Three passengers have died after travelling on the ship, with several more suspected or confirmed cases of hantavirus.
