Oxford News
Oxford vaccine expert speaks out after cruise evacuation
The crew member, understood to be a doctor on the ship, along with a Dutch crew member and another passenger were taken from the Dutch-flagged cruise ship MV Hondius for onward travel to the Netherlands, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said.
Spanish health officials said the British medic is now in a more “stable condition” after previously being in a “critical condition”.
The evacuation means the ship can now continue on its three-day journey to the Canary Islands after Spanish authorities gave permission for the boat to dock.
But a row erupted after the president of the Canary Islands expressed concern over the ship docking in Tenerife.
Commenting on the variant of the virus linked to the outbreak, the Andes virus, Professor Sir Andrew Pollard, director of the Oxford Vaccine Group at the University of Oxford, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “With this particular hantavirus, the Andes virus, it is known very rarely to spread between people with close contact, usually symptomatic individuals who are in close contact with each other.
“That’s important because it means it is very easy to isolate people who are unwell and to follow sort of quarantine and so on to avoid spread to other people.”
He added: “I think the risk is essentially zero of spread outside of this particular outbreak, because the authorities have recognised this and they know exactly what to do to make sure that the individuals are isolated and there’s no-one with transmission now that we know what we’re dealing with.”
It comes as the Associated Press reported the Argentine government’s hypothesis is that a Dutch couple contracted the virus during a bird-watching outing in the city of Ushuaia before boarding.
Two Argentine officials told the news agency that the couple visited a landfill during the bird-watching tour where they may have been exposed to rodents carrying the infection.
The ship has been anchored off Cape Verde while arrangements were put in place to evacuate the crew members.
Passengers are confined to their cabins while “disinfection and other public health measures are carried out”, the WHO said on Tuesday.
Tour operator Oceanwide Expeditions said two infectious disease doctors are being sent from the Netherlands to the ship and will “remain with the vessel after its anticipated departure from Cape Verde”.
The leader of the regional government of the Canaries expressed concern over the plan for onward travel to Tenerife, with Fernando Clavijo writing on X that he has requested a meeting with Spanish President Pedro Sanchez “due to the lack of co-ordination and information regarding the cruise ship affected by a hantavirus outbreak”.
In a briefing, Spanish health minister Monica Garcia said none of the remaining passengers on board have symptoms.
She said the boat will dock in Tenerife and people will be repatriated to their own countries with “medical guarantees”, and “all the transportation will be done trying to avoid contact with local citizens”.
Jose Miguel Cisneros Herreros, head of the infectious diseases department at the Virgen del Rocio University Hospital in Seville, said: “It is right for the Spanish government to allow the ship to dock in our country, because the passengers and crew need to disembark and be assessed, and we are the nearest country with a healthcare system capable of doing so.”
Some 19 British nationals were listed as passengers on the ship, which was sailing from Argentina to Cape Verde, with four British crew members.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said plans are being made for the “safe onward travel” of Britons on the ship.
On Wednesday, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “The Foreign Office is working urgently to support the UKHSA’s (UK Health Security Agency’s) work overseas and to make sure British nationals on the MV Hondius can all get safely home with proper protection for public health.
“Foreign Office consular staff are in direct contact with British nationals onboard the ship and stand ready to provide further assistance to any British national in need of support overseas 24/7 – our crisis response centre has been operating for the last few days to provide support.
“Ministers are in close touch with our Dutch and Spanish counterparts and we have been working with other countries to facilitate the medical evacuations, to support our overseas territories and to get British nationals home safely as quickly as possible.”
There are reports of an emergency incident at a primary school in a Banbury neighbourhood on Thursday afternoon.
There are multiple reports reports of an emergency incident at The Grange Community Primary School in Banbury on Thursday afternoon (May 7).
Eye witness reports say an air ambulance landed in a field near the school for an emergency incident. Reports say both an ambulance and air ambulance responded to the incident.
A Thames Valley Air Ambulance spokesperson said: “We can confirm that our helicopter was dispatched to provide advanced critical care at an incident Banbury yesterday afternoon.”
Southcentral Ambulance Service has been contacted for comment on the incident.
The Grange Community Primary School has also been contacted for comment too.
The event, organised by the Rotary Club of Abingdon, will return on May 24 at Sandford Lock and is expected to draw families, competitors, and spectators from across the region.
This year’s championships are especially meaningful as they celebrate the centenary of Winnie-the-Pooh, the much-loved bear who made the game of PoohSticks famous in A.A. Milne’s The House at Pooh Corner.
Richard Kirby, event organiser from the Rotary Club of Abingdon, said: “The World PoohSticks Championships has been such a joy to organise over the years, and it’s wonderful to see generations of families coming together for a day of fun.
“Celebrating 100 years of Winnie-the-Pooh this year makes it even more special, and I’m personally so grateful to partners like Allica Bank for helping us continue this tradition while raising funds for causes close to our hearts.
“It’s a day that truly celebrates the spirit of our community.”
Set on the River Thames, the event brings to life the simple pleasure of dropping sticks into the water and watching them float beneath a bridge, just as Pooh Bear and his friends did in the classic stories.
What started as a small local activity has grown into a global event, with competitors travelling from across the UK and abroad.
Participants range in age from four to 84, making it an event that spans generations.
Importantly, the championships also support charitable causes, with all funds raised going toward Rotary-supported projects, including donations to the Alzheimer’s Society and other community charities.
Allica Bank returns as the main sponsor after a successful partnership last year.
Gareth Adams, Allica Bank’s relationship manager for Oxfordshire, said: “At Allica Bank, we are proud to support the communities where established businesses thrive.
“Events like the World PoohSticks Championships are a brilliant celebration of local tradition, fun, and community spirit, bringing people together from across Oxfordshire and beyond.
“We’re delighted to return as the main sponsor for such a milestone year, supporting an event that shines a spotlight on the area while raising important funds for local charities.
“It’s a wonderful reminder of the value of community traditions, and we’re thrilled to play a part once again.”
The championships will begin at 11am with registration available on the day or in advance at https://poohsticks.uk.
In addition to the main event, attendees can enjoy charity stalls and activities throughout the day.
All proceeds will support Rotary charities, furthering their commitment to making a lasting impact both locally and internationally.
Believed to be the work of Anna Tonelli, the piece will be offered for sale by The Cotswold Auction Company at a two-day auction taking place on May 12 and 13.
Anna Tonelli, born Anna Nistri, was an Italian portrait painter active in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
The artwork, dated 1794 and believed to be a self-portrait, shows a young woman holding a palette and seated at an easel.
Lindsey Braune, auctioneer at The Cotswold Auction Company, said: “Anna Tonelli was a rarity during the Georgian period – a successful female artist who built a cosmopolitan career across Italy, England and India, mixing with the imperial elite.
“Overshadowed by her male contemporaries at the time, she has recently been rediscovered as an important artist who experienced life in colonial circles at the height of the British empire and created an early visual record of British India.”
Mrs Tonelli’s career took flight through connections with British patrons on the Grand Tour, including the influential Clive family, relatives of Robert Clive, also known as ‘Clive of India.’
She travelled to London in the 1790s, working as a portraitist and art teacher, and exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1794 and 1797.
Between 1798 and 1801, she accompanied the Clives to India, producing portraits of British colonial figures as well as local Indian rulers.
Her work is held in prestigious public collections, including the British Museum and the Holburne Museum in Bath.
The self-portrait, valued between £1,500 and £2,000, is signed by Tonelli and dated to the back.
Born Anna Nistri in Florence, she later married violinist and composer Luigi Tonelli.
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