The St Helena Government (SHG), in consultation with Gold Command and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), is pleased to officially announce the conclusion of the hantavirus Major Incident on St Helena

Successful Completion of Public Health Measures

All individuals who were identified as contacts and required to self-isolate have now successfully completed their mandatory 42-day isolation periods, following the revision of the isolation period guidance provided by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) down from 45 days. Public Health officials have confirmed that there are no active, suspected, or confirmed cases on the island, and there is no further risk to the public regarding this incident.

Sincere Thanks to Our Community and Partners

SHG and Gold Command wish to express their deepest gratitude to everyone who contributed to the safe and successful management of this rare event. A special thank you is extended to the individuals who underwent isolation, as well as the family members and householders who lived in close contact with them. Your immense patience, resilience, and strict adherence to public health measures, especially during a period of uncertainty and throughout our recent St Helena Day celebrations, were vital to ensuring the safety of our entire community.

Sincere thanks go to our Public Health and medical teams, Emergency Services, Sea Rescue, St Helena Airport, and border control staff. We also extend our gratitude to the UK Government and the UKHSA for their rapid deployment of specialist personnel, testing equipment, and logistical support.

Thank you to the community across St Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha for your calm approach, cooperation, and reliance on verified official information throughout this response.

Moving Forward

With all precautionary measures now concluded, the temporary hantavirus testing capability will be stood down and the deployed laboratory scientists will return to the UK with our gratitude for their support over the last four weeks. Our maritime tourism and border operations will continue to run as normal under our standard, robust international health regulations.

This concludes our formal updates regarding the hantavirus response.

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SHG

8 June 2026