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As part of the St Helena Governments (SHG’s) preparedness arrangements, we are pleased to inform the public that we have enhanced our medical capabilities on the island, as a purely precautionary measure.
Three additional medical staff arrived on the island today, comprising an infection prevention and control specialist and two laboratory scientists. We are grateful to UK Health Security Agency(UKHSA) for their support in this respect.
Furthermore, two members of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) have also arrived to assist with logistics and planning.
We expect to receive additional medical consumables on the return of the Airlink flight from Ascension, scheduled for tomorrow. Similar supplies have already been delivered there.
As previously notified, a patient for whom a diagnosis of hantavirus is considered probable is currently on Tristan. To assist with their planning, preparation and response we are pleased to advise that a Royal Air Force (RAF) flight conducted an airdrop of essential equipment and personnel to Tristan this afternoon.
These responses demonstrate that the commitments made by the UK Government are more than just words. They are delivering real, tangible support across the island groups of the Territory as a whole.
The arrival of additional personnel and equipment on St Helena does not change the current position. It is not a cause for concern but a matter of reassurance. There are no symptomatic individuals on the island and no suspected cases. We still consider the risk to the wider community to be very low. As we have stated throughout, we continue to plan with an abundance of caution given the potential medical consequences, should a case be confirmed.
We reiterate the need to continue to follow the public health advice and rely on official sources of information.
#StHelena #Hantavirus #Medicalsupplies
As we reach the end of the week, the St Helena Government (SHG) is providing a summary update on the hantavirus response. Whilst international efforts continue, we are highlighting the coordination between local and global health partners that has shaped the response to date.
The current international response was initiated by the early observations of officials in both St Helena and Ascension. Our local professionals worked quickly to alert health partners around the world, via colleagues at the United Kingdom Health Security Agency, of potential connections to deaths of passengers of the MV Hondius shortly after the vessel’s visit to St Helena.
Whilst the specific identification of the hantavirus was only confirmed following the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) formal declaration, this early communication helped international authorities begin the coordination and tracking efforts now fully underway.
Daily coordination and incident management meetings, hosted by UKHSA, are being attended by members of the Health & Social Care Portfolio to ensure the most robust, reliable and up to date information is provided to and from St Helena.
Local Preparedness and Medical Supplies
Whilst there remain no confirmed or suspected cases on St Helena, we continue to operate out of an abundance of caution. We can confirm that a shipment of additional medical supplies from the UK is on Ascension and due to arrive on the next Airlink flight, bolstering our local stocks to in the event of any potential developments.
Amongst this consignment are thermometers for those persons in isolation to measure their temperatures. This allows for precise daily temperature checks as part of our active monitoring by health officials.
Regional Update: Tristan da Cunha
We have been informed that, regrettably, an individual on Tristan da Cunha has been identified as a suspected case. The key point is that this gentleman was a passenger on the ship; all confirmed cases to date have been limited to passengers on MV Hondius who spent prolonged periods in close contact.
It is a positive sign that the individual has not entered the respiratory distress stage of the virus. We understand that he is currently stable, and SHG will receive a further update later today. We remain in close communication with our counterparts in Tristan da Cunha as they monitor the situation, and we wish this individual well, hoping for a full recovery.
Weekly Summary and Contact Tracing
- Case Status: Zero suspected cases of Andes hantavirus on St Helena.
- Contact Tracing: We have now advised 22 individuals to enter isolation on St Helena. There are 83 people in the lower risk category.
- Daily Updates: Official updates will continue to be issued daily on weekdays to keep the public informed. The next update is expected to be issued on Monday 11 May 2026.
- Radio talks: Radio talks with a Public Health professional and a senior government official will continue on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays and will continue until further notice.
Information and Guidance
The community is reminded that hantavirus does not spread through casual social contact and the risk to the general public remains low.
For further information and answers to frequently asked questions, please visit our dedicated Q&A page: www.sainthelena.gov.sh/documents/Hantavirus-QA-07.05.26.pdf. Enquiries can be emailed to communications@sainthelena.gov.sh
Anyone who has had direct contact with the MV Hondius and develops a fever or muscle aches is advised to call the Hantavirus Screening Line on 25949 for guidance before attending the hospital or a clinic.
We encourage the public to continue to utilise official SHG communications channels for informed updates and thank you for your continued support.
#StHelena #PublicHealth #GlobalHealth #TristanDaCunha #WHO
The St Helena Government (SHG) is providing the following daily update regarding the ongoing response to the hantavirus incident linked to the vessel MV Hondius. To ensure the public remains informed, updates will now be issued daily on weekdays.
The Health and Social Care Portfolio continues to conduct thorough contact tracing assessments. We are pleased to report a significant reduction in the number of individuals initially assessed as “low risk” as further data is processed.
Clarification on Power Outages
SHG recognises that a separate incident is currently ongoing involving recent power outages. We would like to clarify that these outages are being addressed by Connect Saint Helena and has no impact on the hantavirus response. Hospital services, cold-chain storage for medical supplies, and public health monitoring systems are functioning normally and remain unaffected by these local power issues.
Reminder of Public Guidance
The risk to the general community remains low. Contact tracing for the recent Airlink flight remains the responsibility of South African authorities. All residents of St Helena who were on this flight, and have subsequently returned, have been identified and given the appropriate advice, guidance and support.
The Hantavirus Screening Line (25949) is available for anyone who had direct contact with the vessel or its passengers to report any symptoms.
Please call the line for guidance before visiting the hospital.
For further information and answers to frequently asked questions, please visit our dedicated Q&A page: www.sainthelena.gov.sh/documents/Hantavirus-QA-07.05.26.pdf.
#StHelena #PublicHealth #MVHondius #WHO #ConnectSaintHelena
The Provisional Register of Electors for 2026 has been published today, Thursday 7 May 2026.
Eligible persons will have until 16:00 on Friday 22 May 2026 to submit applications using Form ‘A’ to amend the provisional register.
Persons who have St Helenian Status as defined by law (Immigration Ordinance, 2011), are ordinarily resident on St Helena, and are aged 17 years or over may apply to amend the Provisional Register. Amendments include:
- Adding your name
- Amending any details in the Provisional Register, e.g. if you have changed your name or address
- Changing the Electoral District in which you can vote
The Registration Officer aims to publish a final Register of Electors which is as up-to-date and accurate as possible. Eligible persons are able to apply to amend any of their personal details which may be out of date using Form ‘A’. For example, they may have changed their name or address and wish to update their registration details.
It is possible also to amend the register to enable voting in a different district from that in which you live. For example, an eligible person may live in Longwood and work in Jamestown, so when there is an election, it may be more convenient for them to vote in Jamestown during the working day. It is possible for the register to accommodate this, provided the eligible person makes an application to do so.
The importance of including accurate information in the register cannot be overstated, so please check the Provisional Register to make sure your details are accurate. The Registration Officer or any of the Assistant Registration Officers can check the details for you if you are not able to access a copy of the register. Remember it is your responsibility to check the Provisional Register and to make an application to amend it if you wish to.
Completed Forms ‘A’ can be submitted by 16:00 on Friday 22 May, to either of the following officers at the Castle, in hard copy or via email:
Carol Henry: carol.henry@sainthelena.gov.sh; Anita Legg: anita.legg@sainthelena.gov.sh;
or any of the Assistant Registration Officers listed at www.sainthelena.gov.sh/st-helena/government/public-information/elections/.
Persons who are ordinarily resident on the island, but who are currently offshore can apply to amend the register by using the prescribed Form ‘B’.
Both Form ‘A’ and Form ‘B’ can be accessed on the SHG website at www.sainthelena.gov.sh/st-helena/government/public-information/elections/.
#StHelena #ProvisionalRegisterOfElectors #RegisterToVote
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The St Helena Government (SHG) continues to work closely with international health partners to manage the response to the Andes hantavirus situation involving the expedition vessel MV Hondius.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has officially taken the lead in coordinating the global response, including the tracking and tracing of any further cases across international borders.
There are St Helenians overseas, who were passengers on the outbound flight from St Helena on 25 April, who have been contacted by international partners as part of this tracing process. SHG is working with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the WHO to share and monitor all health data. All of those who have subsequently returned to St Helena have been contacted directly by our team on island.
In St Helena, the Health and Social Care Portfolio (HSC) confirms:
- There are currently no suspected or confirmed cases of hantavirus on the Island.
- The risk to the general public remains low. The Andes hantavirus is not known to spread through passing or casual social contact such as in shops, schools, or workplaces.
- There is no risk to the public from the deceased passenger who passed away on board the MV Hondius on the 11 April 2026. All handling procedures to retrieve the body on 23 April 2026, and store it locally prior to repatriation, met high safety standards to protect both staff and the community.
Ongoing Precautions
As a precautionary measure, the HSC continues to monitor a small number of individuals identified as “higher risk” contacts (those who had close, prolonged contact with the unwell passengers of the vessel). These individuals remain in good health and are receiving daily check-ins from medical professionals.
Written guidance has been issued to higher risk contacts currently being advised to isolate at home. This includes the required period of isolation which, in consultation with experts at the UK Health Security Agency, has been set as 45 days from the last known exposure to the virus. This means that the period of isolation will end on 9 June subject to any developments in the situation in St Helena.
The Hantavirus Screening Telephone Line (25949) remains active. Anyone who boarded the vessel or had close contact with its passengers and subsequently develops symptoms of hantavirus such as fever, muscle aches, breathing difficulties or gastrointestinal problems (nausea, vomiting, stomach pains, diarrhoea) is advised to call this number for guidance. They should not attend the hospital in person.
Whilst the international nature of this incident requires a coordinated global response, the situation on St Helena remains stable and controlled. We ask the public to remain calm and to respect the privacy of those affected by this incident.
Updates will be provided daily from 18:00 to 21:00 until further notice.
#StHelena #PublicHealth #MVHondius
Dear Friends,
I am sure that we are all by now aware of the challenge we face following confirmation today by the South African authorities of the presence of the Andes variant of the Hantavirus aboard the vessel MV Hondius. We are now responding to a crisis none of us would have wished.
The resilience of our communities has been tested before and I am proud once again of the calm, measured and proportionate response we are seeing across the Territory in difficult times. Those responding directly warrant especial thanks.
I know that information is key in these moments both to share what is known and to reassure. The three governments in the Territory have already issued detailed and coordinated Public Health information. They will continue to do so. I would reiterate that from the outset all have acted with an abundance of caution.
I am acutely aware that the vessel and its passengers is currently the subject of global news interest. Among our communities, there is intense social media activity. This is understandable. Yet we must also be cautious of potential fallibility, as the recent global misreporting of the death of Jonathan the tortoise so clearly revealed.
The Public Health information we have issued is the best available, drawing not only on the experience of our talented local experts, but also that of the UK Health Security Agency.
I am confident that we will confront this challenge together. To help achieve that, the governments will keep the public informed with a regular rhythm of information. Every effort will be made to ensure it is your trusted source.
I am grateful for your fortitude and continued support.
HE Governor Nigel Phillips
#StHelena #MessagefromtheGovernor #Hantavirus
As we continue to respond to the hantavirus incident, tests performed by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases in South Africa have indicated that the Andes virus is the underlying cause.
This is the only known variant capable of human-to-human spread. The risk to the wider population remains low and transmission requires prolonged close personal contact.
This does not affect our planning or response, which has been based on this assumption from the outset.
As we have indicated previously, we are acting from an abundance of caution and will continue to do so.
Please continue to follow the public health advice. A more detailed update will be issued later today and then daily thereafter.
Thank you for your continued co-operation.
#StHelena #Hantavirus #MVHondius
The public is advised that the Health and Social Care (HSC) Portfolio continues to respond to the hantavirus situation linked to the expedition vessel MV Hondius, which visited St Helena from 22 to 24 April 2026. We are working closely with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and international partners to assess and manage the situation.
Globally, there have been three deaths reported, two of which have been confirmed as infected with hantavirus. There are a further four people with suspected hantavirus infection around the world, all of whom remain in a stable condition. Definitive information on the specific type of hantavirus associated with this incident is awaited from our international partners.
On St Helena, there are currently no people with suspected hantavirus infection. All higher risk contacts identified to date have received daily verbal contact from a doctor, including instruction on the need to self-isolate at home. People living in the same household as higher risk contacts do not need to self-isolate. All lower risk contacts have been issued with an information letter and actions to take should they develop symptoms.
Further written guidance for those in isolation is being developed in partnership with experts at the UKHSA and will be issued tomorrow, 6 May. This includes information on the necessary period for isolation. Additional support for those in isolation is being coordinated by HSC.
The risk to the wider community remains low. Everyday social contact, for example in shops, workplaces, schools or public spaces, is not considered a known risk for spreading hantavirus. In the rare instances of person-to-person spread, the main risk is close and prolonged contact with someone who is unwell.
New Hantavirus Screening Line
If you had close contact with passengers or crew, or boarded the MV Hondius during its visit, please call the new Hantavirus Screening Line on Tele No: 25949 if you develop symptoms or are worried you may have been exposed.
Possible symptoms include:
- fatigue, fever and muscle aches
- headache, dizziness and chills
- nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea or abdominal pain
- later, symptoms such as coughing, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Please do not attend the hospital in person without first being screened by telephone. This helps protect patients, staff and the wider public by ensuring the right clinical advice and infection prevention measures are in place before any face-to-face assessment.
People who have not had any contact with the passengers or crew and have not boarded the MV Hondius should seek healthcare in the usual way if required.
Following the screening call, a clinician will review the information provided. If a face-to-face assessment is needed, the ambulance service will attend to assess the person safely and arrange further care. This reduces the risk of anyone who may be infectious attending the hospital without the correct precautions in place.
In a medical emergency, including severe breathing difficulty, chest pain, collapse or serious deterioration, call 999 immediately and tell the call handler that you may have had contact linked to the MV Hondius.
The public are thanked for their continued support and cooperation. Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
#StHelena #Hantavirus #MVHondius
Following notification from Connect Saint Helena Limited, the St Helena Resilience Forum (SHRF), are pleased to advise that power has been restored to all affected areas on Feeder 5 which included Nosegay Lane, the Post Office, Museum Car Park, the Terrace, the Wharf, and Lower Shy Road.
Nosegay Lane and the Post Office will be reconnected shortly using a mobile generator, with repair work on this faulty section recommencing tomorrow, 6 May.
In addition, power issues experienced today on Feeder 1, affecting Jamestown from Market Street to China Lane and Ladder Hill, have now been resolved.
We would like to thank affected residents and businesses in the affected areas and the public for their patience and understanding during this time.
#StHelena #Power outage #SHRF
The St Helena Resilience Forum (SHRF), together with key stakeholders including Connect Saint Helena Ltd and local businesses, met this morning, 05 May 2026, to review the situation relating to the power outage affecting residents and businesses in Lower Jamestown, and to confirm contingency arrangements and next steps.
The public are assured that, following the unscheduled power outage yesterday evening, 04 May 2026, support has been provided to those affected residents and businesses who required assistance.
Further updates will be published on the SHG website at https://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/st-helena/news/ and via SHG social media channels.
#StHelena #Power outage #SHRF