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The St Helena Government (SHG) is providing its final daily update for the week regarding the hantavirus response, as local and UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) teams continue their coordinated efforts across the Territory.

Pre-emptive Relocations Scheduled

Following specialised risk assessments, the planned, pre-emptive relocation of higher-risk individuals to the UK is scheduled to go ahead this weekend. Please note that these movements remain subject to weather conditions.  Four individuals currently on St Helena and five individuals on Ascension Island will be relocated to the UK to complete their isolation periods near specialised medical care.

None of the individuals scheduled for relocation are currently showing symptoms of illness, and these transfers are being undertaken purely as a pre-emptive and precautionary measure.

Financial Support for Self-Isolating Individuals

To assist those impacted by public health measures, SHG will provide financial support to eligible individuals identified as higher-risk contacts who are required to self-isolate for 45 days. This scheme is specifically designed for people formally instructed by SHG Public Health to isolate at home who cannot work, resulting in a loss of income. Eligible applicants may receive support payments of up to £160 per week during their isolation period. These payments will be made weekly, and the first payment will be backdated to the start of the individual’s isolation.

Eligible individuals will be contacted directly by SHG with further details on the scheme and instructions on how to access it. Please note that employees who continue to receive their normal salary from their employer during this period (including SHG employees) are not eligible, as they have experienced no loss of income.

Adjustment to Communications Schedule

As the initial phase of the incident response stabilises and our enhanced on-island capabilities are established, the frequency of routine public updates will decrease. For the following week, information will be shared on the following scheduled basis:

The public are reassured that if a situation arises where additional or urgent communications are required, SHG will issue updates accordingly.

Territorial Status and Testing Reminders

Public Information and Guidance

The next routine update will be issued on Monday, 18 May 2026.

The community is thanked for their continued support and is reminded to rely on official SHG channels for verified information. The updated Q&A can be accessed here: https://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/documents/hantavirus-qa/.

If you had direct contact with the MV Hondius and develop the following symptoms, please contact the Hantavirus Screening Line on 25949 for guidance before attending any medical facility:

#StHelena #PublicHealth #UKHSA #TerritorialUpdate

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The St Helena Resilience Forum (SHRF) have confirmed that the Gold Command structure activated specifically to manage the recent island-wide power outage is standing down today, as the electricity situation is now under control and stable.

St Helena is currently managing two separate major incidents under distinct response structures. While the Gold Command for the power outage is now standing down, a separate Gold Command remains active and focused on managing the hantavirus response.

Connect St Helena Update: Ongoing and Upcoming Works

Although the emergency power response has concluded, Connect Saint Helena Ltd continues essential recovery works on Feeder 3 in the Deadwood area today, Friday 15 May, and tomorrow, Saturday 16 May 2026.

The final transfer of the power supply is planned for Monday, 18 May. To safely complete this work, a planned outage will be required on Feeder 3. Connect Saint Helena Ltd will communicate the exact timing of Monday’s outage to the public as soon as details are finalised.

Gold Commander for the power outage incident, Alex Mitham, expressed his gratitude to the community and the teams who worked around the clock to restore the grid:

“On behalf of this Gold Command, I want to thank every individual involved in getting the island’s electricity back to a stable level. The dedication of the engineers, technicians, and multi-agency partners has been outstanding. We also want to thank the community for their cooperation and patience while we navigated this outage.”

The public are advised to continue monitoring official channels and local radio for specific timing updates regarding Monday’s planned outage on Feeder 3.

#StHelena #EssentialInfrastructure

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The Health and Social Care Portfolio would like to advise the public that the Pharmacy email address has changed.

All prescription queries and related correspondence should now be sent to: pharmacy.prescriptions@sainthelena.gov.sh

The previous Pharmacy email account will be deactivated on 30 May 2026. Please note that an automatic message is currently in place to direct users to the new address; however, messages will not be forwarded.

Customers are kindly asked to update their contact records and use the new email address with immediate effect to avoid any disruption to service.

The St Helena Government (SHG) continues to coordinate with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and international partners to manage the ongoing response to the hantavirus. Our priority remains the safety of the community through proactive monitoring and clear public information.

Clarity on Hantavirus Testing Capability

Laboratory personnel deployed to St Helena from the UKHSA are currently exploring the feasibility of performing hantavirus testing on-island. It is important to note that testing for this virus involves complex laboratory techniques and is typically performed only in highly specialised facilities; in the United Kingdom, for example, only one such laboratory exists.

Subject to rigorous quality and safety checks, it is hoped that on-island testing will be available by this weekend, though this cannot be guaranteed at this stage. Due to limited supplies, testing will be strictly prioritised for:

Hantavirus testing will not be available on request. It is also important to clarify that a negative test result will not allow a person to exit isolation early. Instead, the testing is intended to provide the earliest possible warning of infection so that appropriate clinical care can begin immediately.

Upcoming Logistics and Relocations

Following recent risk assessments, a flight for the pre-emptive relocation of a small number of higher-risk individuals is scheduled to arrive on Saturday 16 May and depart on Sunday, 17 May 2026 subject to weather. These individuals, who currently show no signs of illness, are being moved to the UK to complete their isolation period in proximity to specialised medical facilities.

Cruise Ship Visit and Maritime Protocols

The cruise ship Azamara Onward, originally travelling from South Africa, is expected to visit St Helena next Tuesday, 19 May. The visit will proceed as normal, with standard maritime health protocols in effect. This includes the mandatory submission of Maritime Declarations of Health and rigorous screening by local officials. Whilst we are sensitive to public concern, it is important to remember that the hantavirus case was a rare and isolated occurrence.

Territorial Status Update

Support for those self-isolating

The Government has agreed a mechanism to support those individuals who are voluntary self-isolating, the details of the support scheme will be announced by the Chief Minister on Friday.

Public Information

The public are encouraged to tune in to the scheduled radio talks tomorrow, Friday, for further updates from Public Health professionals and are reminded to use official SHG channels for the most accurate information. The updated Q&A can be accessed here: https://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/documents/hantavirus-qa/.

If you had direct contact with the MV Hondius and develop a fever or muscle aches, please call the Hantavirus Screening Line on 25949 immediately for guidance.

#StHelena #PublicHealth #UKHSA #MedicalTesting #MaritimeSafety

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The public are advised that due to the arrival of the cruise ship Azamara Onward on Tuesday, 19 May 2026, the Jamestown Wharf will be closed to all public access from 06:00.

The Jamestown Wharf will remain closed until the vessel has departed.

Access to the Jamestown Wharf will be strictly prohibited and limited only, to persons who have made prior arrangements with Port Control.

Port stakeholders, workers, and maritime users are requested to park all vehicles outside the main security barrier.

Boat owners are also advised that no maintenance work will be permitted on the Wharf during this period.

Port Control thanks the public for their cooperation and understanding during this time.

SHG

14 May 2026

I recognise this is an anxious time, particularly for those feeling vulnerable or concerned for loved ones. Please know that your wellbeing remains our absolute priority.

At this time, there are no symptomatic individuals or suspected cases on St Helena. Public Health continues to advise that the risk to the wider community remains very low.

On Ascension, there are currently no confirmed cases, although one high-risk contact has developed symptoms. As a precaution, plans are being progressed for a medical evacuation should this become necessary.

On Tristan da Cunha, one probable case has been identified in an islander who travelled on the MV Hondius. We continue to keep the people of Tristan very much in our thoughts, and we wish the individual a full and speedy recovery.

Our Public Health team continues to implement a well-established prevention and response programme alongside the UK Health Security Agency, supported by additional medical expertise and specialist personnel who arrived over the weekend.

We have much to be grateful for. Our local medical teams acted quickly and responsibly in reporting the unusual cluster of illnesses to international authorities before Hantavirus had been confirmed. This early action enabled vital international preparedness at an early stage.

I would like to thank our Public Health teams, UK partners, and all those working tirelessly behind the scenes across our Territories. Much of this work is unseen, but it is vital to protecting our communities and is being carried out with immense dedication.

Please continue to rely on official updates from St Helena Government and Public Health, and avoid speculation or the sharing of unverified information online.

During periods of uncertainty, words matter, and relying on confirmed facts ensures that decisions and community discussions are guided by the best available scientific and public health advice rather than hearsay. During uncertain times, calm, compassion and responsible communication matter greatly.

As we recently celebrated David Attenborough’s 100th birthday, we are reminded of the importance of humanity, compassion, and our shared responsibility for one another. We are a resilient community that looks after its own, and we will continue to face this challenge together, calmly and responsibly.

On Tuesday 12 May I was unable to attend the Legislative Council Adjournment Debate due to an important meeting relating to ongoing discussions with the United Kingdom Government regarding the future BIOT Agreement.

Over recent weeks, supported by the Ministerial Team, I have been engaged in discussions with the UK Minister for the Overseas Territories, Stephen Doughty, and senior officials. The existing agreement between the St Helena Government and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is due to expire on Friday 15 May 2026. Discussions between all parties are continuing, and we hope to share further news at the earliest opportunity once an agreement has been reached.

I am grateful to my Honourable colleague, Minister Henry, for leading the Adjournment Debate in my absence, and to both Ministers Henry and Thrower for their thoughtful and heartfelt contributions, which reflected both the realities and responsibilities of the current situation.

I also recognise that Adjournment Debates are an important opportunity for Councillors to raise the concerns, frustrations and questions being expressed by members of the public. I will therefore review the minutes carefully to ensure those views are fully considered.

I wanted to take this opportunity to share some of the reflections I had prepared.

St Helena operates under a Ministerial system of Government established under our Constitution. We are not a system of party politics with a formal Government and Opposition. We are one Government, collectively accountable to the people of St Helena and accountable to one another for both the decisions we take and the conduct we demonstrate.

Within that system, we each hold different constitutional responsibilities.

Ministers are entrusted with strategic leadership, policy direction, decision-making and delivery across their portfolios. Councillors play an equally important role in representing community concerns, scrutinising decisions, challenging constructively where necessary, and helping ensure accountability and transparency in the public interest.

These roles are complementary.

Healthy scrutiny strengthens Government. Honest challenge improves decision-making. But all of us in public office also carry a responsibility to conduct ourselves in a way that maintains public confidence in our institutions, particularly during periods of uncertainty when reassurance, stability and mature leadership matter greatly.

The people of St Helena rightly expect their elected representatives to work together respectfully and responsibly, even where there are differences of opinion. The public deserve leadership that informs, reassures and helps unite communities rather than deepening anxiety or division, particularly in difficult times.

These have indeed been difficult times.

Since taking office, this Government has faced a succession of operational and national challenges – airport operational difficulties, the Foot and Mouth Disease situation in South Africa affecting food supply resilience, the recent hantavirus precautionary response, electricity outages, financial pressures, and wider resilience concerns linked to growing international instability and conflict in the Middle East.

Many of these challenges stem from years of underinvestment, deferred maintenance, ageing infrastructure, difficult financial realities, and the practical difficulties of operating essential services within a remote island environment and the weather. We are also particularly vulnerable to external shocks and events beyond our control, while having limited local capacity and resources to absorb their impact.

But despite this, our resolve has only strengthened because this is ultimately about securing the future resilience and wellbeing of St Helena.

Our community deserves a Government prepared to face challenges honestly, work through disagreement constructively, and remain focused on solutions rather than division.

Again and again, whether through engagement with our shareholder-owned entities, the Utility Regulatory Authority, the Equality and Human Rights Commission, St Helena Airport, charities, community organisations or international partners, the message has been clear:
we must work together better, communicate better, and break down silos. With limited resources and capacity, there is simply no sustainable alternative.

That is why partnership, collaboration and openness sit at the heart of the draft Vision and Strategy for St Helena going forward.

We are already addressing long-standing challenges and laying important foundations for change across fisheries, utilities, infrastructure planning, environmental management and public service reform, while continuing to build on progress within health and education.

We cannot solve every challenge all at once. If everything is treated as a priority, nothing truly becomes a priority. Instead, we must remain focused, work step by step on the areas that matter most, and move forward together as a community.

I also want to place on record my sincere thanks to all those who have worked tirelessly in recent weeks to support the health, safety and resilience of our community.

I thank our healthcare professionals, Public Health teams, emergency responders, utility workers, engineers, civil servants, police officers, airport staff, technical specialists, and all those working quietly behind the scenes, often under immense pressure and public scrutiny.

During the recent hantavirus precautionary response, staff across Government and partner agencies worked calmly, professionally and responsibly alongside the UK Health Security Agency, UK Government and international partners to protect our community and ensure preparedness.

Our Public Health teams acted quickly and responsibly in escalating concerns early, enabling vital international support and precautionary planning arrangements to be put in place at an early stage.

During the recent electricity outage, teams across Government, Connect St Helena and other essential services worked around the clock to restore power and minimise disruption to homes, businesses and critical infrastructure.

Thank you to everyone involved for the professionalism, teamwork and commitment shown throughout the response. I also want to thank residents and businesses across the island for their patience, understanding and support during what has been an extremely difficult period for many households.

Looking ahead, Government will continue working closely with Connect St Helena to better understand the underlying infrastructure challenges, resource pressures and longer-term investment requirements needed to strengthen resilience across the island.

At the same time, our Resilience Forum continues important work to strengthen preparedness around wider risks and threats, including fuel resilience, biosecurity concerns such as Foot and Mouth Disease, and broader infrastructure and supply chain resilience.

Much of this work is unseen by the public, but it is critically important, and those involved deserve our gratitude and support.

St Helena has always endured through resilience, community spirit and people stepping forward when it matters most.

St Helena is a remarkable community with remarkable people.

If we continue to work together with honesty, respect and shared purpose, I firmly believe we can build a stronger, fairer and more resilient future for the next generation.

Thank you.

Yours,

Rebecca

The St Helena Government (SHG) continues to work closely with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and territorial partners to manage the hantavirus response. Our approach remains cautious, proportionate, and guided by expert medical advice to protect our communities.

Territorial Status Update

Success of SOLAS Medical Evacuation

SHG wishes to highlight the success of a challenging Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) operation yesterday. A patient in critical condition arrived by ship and was successfully transferred to the Jamestown General Hospital.

SHG extends its sincere thanks to the Sea Rescue and Emergency Services teams for their efforts. The extraction of the patient from the vessel was a complex and difficult task, but thanks to the efficiency and professionalism of these teams, the patient was disembarked is now receiving the vital care they need.

This medical evacuation was successfully managed under our established maritime health protocols. While the MV Hondius case is an extremely rare and isolated incident, SHG continues to implement standard operating public health precautions for all visiting vessels. In line with international and local health regulations, all ships must submit a Maritime Declaration of Health (MDH) and are subject to rigorous screening by Customs, Immigration, and Health officials before disembarkation. For further details on st Helena’s Maritime Health Protocols please refer to our updated Q&A https://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/documents/hantavirus-qa/.

Cruise Ship Visit

The cruise ship, Azamara Onward, is expected to visit St Helena next Tuesday, 19 May, originally embarking on the voyage from Cape Town, South Africa. The visit will go ahead as normal and established maritime health protocols will be undertaken as per standard practice to ensure the continued safety of our community. While we are sensitive to the concerns of the public following recent events, it is important to note that the hantavirus case was a rare occurrence and an isolated incident. For more information on this please refer to our updated Q&A: https://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/documents/hantavirus-qa/

Pre-emptive Relocations

Following risk assessments by SHG public health professionals, guided and advised by the UKHSA, SHG is facilitating the pre-emptive relocation of a small group of higher risk individuals over the coming days to ensure they are closer to specialised medical care:

Community Resilience and Preparedness

The arrival of additional personnel and medical kits is a matter of reassurance and does not indicate an increased risk to the general public, which remains very low. All cases identified to date have been passengers on the MV Hondius. The public are gently reminded that the virus does not spread through casual social contact.

Public Information

Daily updates and information radio sessions with Public Health professionals and other senior officials will continue until the end of this week.  Frequency of updates for the following week will be reassessed and advertised accordingly.

The public are reminded to use official SHG channels for the most accurate information. The updated Q&A can be accessed here: https://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/documents/hantavirus-qa/.

If you had direct contact with the vessel and develop symptoms, please call the Hantavirus Screening Line on 25949.

#StHelena #PublicHealth #TristanDaCunha #EmergencyServices #SeaRescue

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We understand that a high risk contact in Ascension has developed symptoms consistent with hantavirus. Initial testing for hantavirus was negative, from samples shipped to the United Kingdom, but further investigations are ongoing.

We also understand that a family member of this contact travelled to St Helena on Sunday 10 May 2026. This family member is not suspected to have been infected with hantavirus but has been asked to enter isolation as a precaution until the full testing results and details of the situation are confirmed. There is currently no indication of any additional risk to the wider population in St Helena as a result of this development.

This individual is part of a group of medical personnel on Ascension Island who had close contact with a confirmed case and had already been assessed as higher risk. As a precaution, plans are in place for their relocation.  These arrangements are being kept under review to ensure they can respond to any change in clinical circumstances.

#StHelena #HantavirusResponse #Update

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The St Helena Government (SHG) continues to provide daily updates to ensure the public remains fully informed on the Hantavirus response. Whilst the situation on-island remains stable, SHG continues working closely with the UK Government and international partners on regional logistics.

Medical Capability and Supplies

Following the arrival of the specialist medical team on Saturday, our enhanced laboratory and infection control capabilities are now improved.

The shipment of medical consumables received via the Airlink flight on Sunday has been integrated into our local stocks, ensuring the island is well-equipped for any potential needs. All individuals currently in isolation will continue to receive a daily check-in by a member of the Health team and we are in the process of ensuring all have access to a thermometer for daily temperature self-checks.  

Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS)

In accordance with our international maritime obligations, Safety Of Life At Sea (SOLAS), a patient from a passing cargo vessel, was successfully delivered to the General Hospital to undergo essential medical treatment for an identified medical condition.  For the avoidance of doubt, the vessel began its voyage in Brazil and St Helena was its first stop. There is NO link to hantavirus. The patient was pre-screened remotely by our medical team and underwent further assessment before coming ashore, including temperature checks. All standard medical and public health protocols for visiting ships were conducted.

It is critical that we continue to deliver on our obligations; if we fail to do so we cannot reasonably expect reciprocal services in return. This operation poses no risk to the wider public.

Regional Updates: Tristan da Cunha and Ascension

In a continued effort to manage the situation across the Territory, several logistical operations are underway. The suspected case on Tristan da Cunha remains in a stable condition and continues to be monitored closely.

Pre-emptive relocation efforts are also in progress for a group of individuals on Ascension Island who had close contact with unwell passengers on the MV Hondius. As a precautionary measure, some have been successfully repatriated to their home countries to be closer to medical care and specialised support.  The remaining individuals will be relocated to the UK.

Current Status on St Helena

Public Guidance and Support

Regular communication remains a priority. Radio talks featuring Public Health professionals and senior officials will continue on Wednesday and Friday of this week.

The public are reminded to use official SHG channels for the most accurate information. The updated Q&A can be accessed here: https://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/documents/Hantavirus-QA-11.05.26.pdf.

If you have had direct contact with the MV Hondius and experience a fever, muscle aches, breathing difficulties or gastrointestinal symptoms (nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea or stomach pains) please contact the Hantavirus Screening Line on 25949 for guidance. Do not attend the hospital or clinics without calling first.

#StHelena #PublicHealth #TristanDaCunha #AscensionIsland #UKHSA

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