BERLIN, May 11 (Xinhua) -- Four German passengers exposed to hantavirus aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius will be transferred later in the day from Frankfurt to their home states for quarantine, German health authorities said Monday, adding that none has shown symptoms so far.
The passengers, from the states of Berlin, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Bavaria and Saxony, were evacuated from the vessel on special flights after it landed in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, on Sunday evening. They were later transported to Frankfurt University Hospital for medical evaluation.
The Federal Ministry of Health said the four are expected to remain under home quarantine. "Over the coming weeks, the contacts will be continuously and closely monitored for symptoms," the ministry said.
According to experts, the virus has an incubation period of up to 45 days. The ministry added that any passenger who develops symptoms can be treated safely at specialized medical centers under the highest standards of care.
The cruise ship carried passengers from 23 countries, including a small number of German nationals. A 65-year-old woman has been admitted to a hospital in Duesseldorf after close contact with another German passenger who later died on board from the virus. Authorities said no signs of infection have so far been detected in her case.
