Cruise ship MV Hondius infected with Hantavirus

Passengers evacuated from the virus-hit Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius are set to begin leaving a specialist isolation facility in the UK after completing an initial 72-hour quarantine period, as health authorities continue efforts to contain a rare hantavirus outbreak linked to the ship.According to a BBC report, the group – which included 20 British citizens, a German citizen living in Britain and a Japanese traveler – were in isolation at Arrow Park Hospital in Merseyside after being flown back from Tenerife.Officials said all the passengers are healthy and have no symptoms, but as a precaution they will now have to continue self-isolation at home for the next 42 days.The UK Health Protection Agency (UKHSA) said public health experts will assess whether individuals can safely isolate at home or whether alternative accommodation arrangements are necessary.The passengers were staying in self-contained flats with food, medical aid and essential supplies provided by NHS and UKHSA teams.Professor Robin May, UKHSA’s chief scientific officer, said: “We want to reassure both passengers and the wider public that strong systems are in place and everyone involved will be looked after every step of the way.”The outbreak on the Expedition cruise ship has so far been linked to three deaths, including two confirmed hantavirus cases – a German woman and a Dutch woman. The Dutch woman’s elderly husband also died before he could be tested.The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed six infections linked to the outbreak, including two British nationals who are currently being treated in the Netherlands and South Africa. Officials identified the Andes strain of hantavirus on the ship, one of the few types known to spread from person to person.WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said earlier this week there was currently “no sign” of a widespread global outbreak, but warned that more cases could still emerge.Meanwhile, 10 additional passengers and crew members are being flown to the UK from the British territories of St Helena and Ascension Island as a precaution. The UKHSA said England’s health system was “well equipped” to manage any potential cases if symptoms developed.Elsewhere, a British man with suspected hantavirus remains in a stable condition while isolated on the remote island of Tristan da Cunha in the South Atlantic.Two more Britons who previously landed in St Helena continue voluntary self-isolation in the UK.The MV Hondias was carrying about 150 passengers and crew from 28 countries when it departed Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1. The ship later stopped in Spain’s Canary Islands following the outbreak of the pandemic.The ship’s operator, Oceanwide Expeditions, said all remaining passengers have now been repatriated to their home countries.The ship is currently sailing to Rotterdam, the Netherlands, with a reduced crew, medical staff and the body of a deceased passenger, where it will undergo full disinfection procedures.

Pratik Yadav with Aparna Yadav (Image/PTI)

New Delhi: Samajwadi Party Shocking claim made on Wednesday regarding the death of leader Ravidas Mehrotra Mulayam Singh YadavYounger son of Pratik Yadav.He alleged that after inquiring about Prateek’s post-mortem report, the doctors told him that the death did not look ‘normal’ and the possible cause could be poison.

Actor and filmmaker Sudhanshu Rai values ​​storytelling as his main passion and works on projects like ‘Detective Bumrah’ and ‘Dreamers’ series. He is currently exploring psychologically intense characters, aiming to create a disturbing presence on screen that challenges him mentally and emotionally as an actor.

Actor, filmmaker and storyteller Sudhanshu Rai believes that storytelling has always been at the center of everything he does. Known for his inspirational Dreamers series as well as projects like Detective Bumrah and Chaipatti, Sudhanshu says his creative journey began long before acting or filmmaking came into the picture.“To be honest, storytelling has always been the starting point for me. Before acting and filmmaking, I was already telling and writing stories,” he shares. “Cinema came later because I was fascinated by the idea of ​​bringing my imagination to life visually and making people actually see and feel it on screen.”Despite working across multiple creative mediums, Sudhanshu says his identity lies in storytelling. “Deep down, I still see myself as a storyteller first,” he says, adding that he is particularly attracted to stories that leave a lasting emotional impact. “I love bringing stories of people who have achieved extraordinary things because such journeys stay with you. They inspire you, shape your thinking and sometimes even help you deal with different stages of life.“Interestingly, the process of telling these stories also inspires him personally. “Somewhere while telling these stories, I find myself getting inspired – to work harder, dream bigger and keep pursuing my goals,” he says.On the acting front, Sudhanshu revealed that he had wanted to explore darker, more psychologically intense characters for a long time. He shared, “I always wanted to play a role of someone who has a very deep impact, even if the character is negative because of his actions.” According to him, the role he is currently working on is different from any role he has done before.He explains, “What excites me is that it’s not the kind of character that people have seen often. Even for me as an actor, it feels completely new.” “The idea is to create someone whose very presence seems disturbing – the kind of character that lives in your mind and almost seems like a nightmare once it’s on screen.”For Sudhanshu, such roles are creatively gratifying as they demand emotional and mental depth. “As an actor, such characters push you mentally and emotionally, and that is something I have wanted to experience for a long time,” he concluded.

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday arrested wanted narco-terrorist Iqbal Singh alias Shera following his successful extradition from Portugal after sustained diplomatic and legal efforts.Shera was described by the agency as the mastermind in a major Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) terror financing case, who was brought to India after due legal process. He was detained by an NIA team at the Delhi airport soon after his arrival from Portugal, where he had allegedly absconded in 2020.The counter-terrorism agency said Shera’s extradition and arrest is a significant breakthrough in the crackdown on Pakistan-backed narco-terrorism and cross-border terror networks.“His successful extradition and arrest is a major blow to the NIA’s fight against Pakistan-backed narco and cross-border terrorism,” the NIA said in a statement.According to the agency, Shera was wanted in the HM narco-terror module case. A non-bailable warrant was issued against him in October 2020, while an Interpol notice was issued in June 2021.During investigation, NIA found Shera to be a key conspirator and operator of an India-based narco-terrorist network, allegedly involved in smuggling of heroin from Pakistan to Punjab and channelizing the proceeds for terrorist activities.Shera, a native of Amritsar, Punjab, allegedly conspired to smuggle narcotics across the border and coordinated the smuggling and distribution of heroin through a network operating in the border state.“Shera had coordinated and supervised the smuggling and distribution of smuggled drugs, and provided a source of income to Pakistan and HM’s Kashmir-based operatives through the Hawala network to facilitate terrorist activities,” the NIA said.The agency further alleged that Shera had created a Punjab-based terror gang, which included associates involved in heroin trafficking, collection of proceeds from drug sales and transfer of funds to operators and terror operatives associated with the Pakistan-based Hizb-ul-Mujahideen network.According to investigators, Shera maintained close ties with Pakistan-based HM operatives and used the narcotics trade to finance anti-India activities.The case was originally registered by Punjab Police following the arrest of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen overground worker Hilal Ahmed Shergozri, who was allegedly linked to slain HM commander Riyaz Ahmed Naikoo.Police had recovered Rs 29 lakh of alleged drugs from Hilal’s possession. In the subsequent investigation, Rs 32 lakh more were recovered from various Punjab-based members associated with the terrorist module.After taking over the investigation, the NIA began efforts to dismantle the network and attempted to extradite Shera through international legal and diplomatic channels.