First Australian hantavirus cruise ship passenger speaks from quarantine

Peter Marsh has spoken to the ABC from a quarantine facility in WA. (ABC News) Peter Marsh was among a group of six people repatriated to Australia last month after the deadly hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius, something he says was a "huge shock". The 82-year-old says spending five weeks so far in quarantine at a facility in Western Australia has been "somewhat tiresome" but well worthwhile. The quarantine period is due to end next Tuesday, and Mr Marsh and his fellow passengers are expected to fly to their homes in New South Wales and Queensland. Link copiedShareShare articleThe first Australian to speak publicly about being onboard the hantavirus-struck cruise ship has shared his experience after spending five weeks in a quarantine facility in Western Australia. Four Australian citizens, one permanent resident and one New Zealander were repatriated to Australia on May 15, after an outbreak of the rodent-borne illness on the MV Hondius. Ever since, the group has been completing a six-week quarantine period at the Bullsbrook Centre for National Resilience, about 40 kilometres north-east of Perth. Three people died in the cruise ship outbreak. Australian passenger Peter Marsh, who spoke exclusively to the ABC from inside the Western Australian quarantine centre, said he had no bad feelings about how things had played out. "The first person who died, obviously, was the person who brought the virus onto the ship, but he had no knowledge that was going to happen, and he had no symptoms when he got on the ship and he paid the ultimate price. "And the [cruise company], once they became aware of what was going on, they worked assiduously to minimise the risk for the rest of us. The MV Hondius in South Georgia. (Supplied: Peter Marsh) "We've also, I think, been very lucky that the Australian government has stepped up to bring us back to Australia under quarantine. "While it's been somewhat tiresome being locked up for this six-week period, I think that if one person is saved from getting sick, let alone dying, as a result of our quarantining, then it's all well worthwhile." An avid birder, Mr Marsh joined the cruise with a birding group from Sydney. Initially, it was all he had hoped it to be, but then passengers started getting sick. "It was a very gradual process, and the gentleman who died first, it seemed like a once-only event," he said. "When we heard that the first deceased's wife had died, there was a huge shock, and everybody began to think, well, maybe this is something that's catching." Once the illness was identified as hantavirus, stress levels onboard the MV Hondius began to rise. Peter Marsh and five other passengers from the ship arrived back in Australia a month ago. (ABC News: Andrew O'Connor) "Unfortunately, there were a few so-called influencers on board who at that time went into overdrive and published some absolutely appalling material … [it] showed, I think, gross irresponsibility on their part because it led families and friends all around the world … to believe that things were far worse than they were." From that point on, Mr Marsh said passengers kept their distance and spent most of their time in their cabins until they disembarked in Tenerife. From the Spanish island, they were flown to the Netherlands, then repatriated to Australia to begin their six weeks of quarantine at the COVID-era quarantine facility. Six passengers who were on a cruise ship that was hit by an outbreak of hantavirus have had their quarantine period in the outer Perth suburb of Bullsbrook extended until June 23. "My initial reaction was that it was incredibly sterile, but now we've been here for nearly 40 days, it's surprisingly comfortable, and it's been made infinitely better by the wonderful treatment that we've had from the staff here," he said. "The staff who look after us come from the [National] Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre … they've just been incredibly supportive." Aside from daily symptom checks, the routine at Bullsbrook has included individual walks around the grounds. "We actually have two one-hour slots each day, and those slots progress through the week," Mr Marsh said. "The first slot's a bit cold at 6am to 7am. It's much warmer and sunnier at midday to 1pm. His birding experiences, more than two decades' worth, have helped pass the hours. Peter Marsh was drawn to the Atlantic cruise odyssey to see birds like the Ascension frigatebird. (Supplied: Peter Marsh) "Three of us at the centre are keen bird watchers, and so we've been sort of semi-competing to see who can get the most birds … I'm on 34 birds that I've seen from the centre." As well as keeping boredom at bay, it has staved off the stress. "Having birding as an abiding passion is really an important aspect of settling the mind and bringing calm and peace to a person's psyche. It's something that we did on the boat, obviously, but we can still do here at the centre, and it really is a wonderf

First Australian hantavirus cruise ship passenger speaks from quarantine

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