Allowing the multiple British passengers aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship to return to the UK without an 8 week quarantine period poses an immediate risk to the country. 

The strain on the ship is confirmed as Andes hantavirus which is transmittable from human to human, with no current cure and a high fatality rate.

Letting potentially infectious people into the country without a proper 8 week quarantine period, could lead to an outbreak of the fatal virus and cause widespread illness among the population.