NewsHealthMV HondiusA group of experts and a rapid response mobile laboratory have been dispatched to two remote islands at the centre of the hantavirus outbreak linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship21:30, 15 May 2026The UK has dispatched a rapid response mobile laboratory to a remote island at the centre of a hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship, health officials have confirmed.‌The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) announced on Friday evening that three members of the UK Public Health Rapid Support Team (UK-PHRST) had been deployed to the UK overseas territories of St Helena and Ascension in the South Atlantic, following a request for help from the island's government.‌This follows the earlier announcement that 10 Britons from South Atlantic islands connected to the MV Hondius cruise ship outbreak are to be brought to the UK in case they develop the illness.‌READ MORE: Hantavirus expert's verdict on UK outbreak - and why it's nothing like CovidREAD MORE: Hantavirus doctor says he 'feels great' despite testing positive after replacing cruise ship medicThe group, believed to be residents of St Helena and Ascension, are being "brought to the UK to complete their self-isolation as a precautionary measure", the UKHSA confirmed earlier this week.The deployed team comprises two microbiologists, Clara Milroy and Kimberley Steeds, who will assist with PCR testing for hantavirus while also supporting testing to rule out other conditions, the UKHSA stated on its website.‌They are accompanied by infection prevention and control specialist Anthony Twyman, who will help Jamestown General Hospital to prepare and respond to any potential cases through assessments and training. The three-person team will remain on the island for the next eight weeks, according to the agency.Dr Edmund Newman, director of the UK Public Health Rapid Support Team, said: "This deployment reflects UKHSA's commitment to responding rapidly to health threats wherever they emerge and to supporting our international partners in protecting public health globally.‌"Our teams continue to work closely with all those affected by this outbreak, both in the UK and overseas, to ensure all necessary support is in place. The risk to the general public remains very low."The cruise ship outbreak has resulted in at least 11 confirmed cases amongst passengers, with three proving fatal. Public Health Scotland issued a warning on Thursday that a small number of people in Scotland may have potentially been exposed to the virus, adding that it was working to contact "a small number of individuals" who could be at risk.Around 20 Brits are currently isolating in Arrowe Park Hospital, on the Wirral in Merseyside in a block of self-contained flats. Health authorities are braced for further cases.Article continues belowBut the World Health Organisation has stressed: "This is not the new Covid." WHO director general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said medics are expecting more cases because of the gap between the first hantavirus case and it being identified.He added: "There is no sign that we are seeing the start of a larger outbreak, but of course the situation could change and, given the long incubation period of the virus, it's possible we might see more cases in the coming weeks."Choose Daily Mirror as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.‌MV Hondius