SINGAPORE - Two Singapore residents who were on board the hantavirus-hit cruise ship MV Hondius have been released from quarantine after testing negative, the Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) confirmed Sunday.
The men, a 67-year-old Singaporean and a 65-year-old permanent resident, arrived in Singapore in early May and were isolated at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID).
CDA said both are well and tested negative for hantavirus, including the Andes virus, before release. They will remain under phone surveillance for a total of 45 days from their last exposure.
The MV Hondius departed from Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1 and later reported an outbreak. The two men shared a flight with a confirmed case who died in South Africa.
Hantaviruses are carried by rodents and transmitted through dust contaminated with urine or droppings. The Andes virus, found in South America, can spread between humans and cause severe respiratory illness. There is no specific treatment or vaccine.