90-Second Read: British paratroopers land on Tristan da Cunha for suspected Hantavirus case

The UK Health Security Agency confirmed on Friday that a British national had disembarked from the cruise ship MV Hondius to the South Atlantic island of Tristan da Cunha, where they live, with a suspected case of Hantavirus. An RAF A400M transport aircraft flew from RAF Brize Norton, in Oxfordshire, to Ascension Island, supported by an RAF Voyager, before heading to Tristan da Cunha. Tristan da Cunha, in a group of volcanic islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, is Britain's most remote inhabited overseas territory, accessible only by boat, it has no airstrip and a population of 221.

Six paratroopers, a Royal Air Force (RAF) consultant and an army nurse from 16 Air Assault Brigade were parachuted to the island, which is normally only accessible by boat, while oxygen supplies and medical aid were also dropped. Brig Ed Cartwright, the commander of 16 Air Assault Brigade, said there was "7,000 miles and about 56 hours" between help being requested and "having those parachutists and those medical stores on the ground". Yvette Cooper, the foreign secretary, said the safety of "all members of the British family" was the top priority.

We will continue to work closely with international authorities and the Tristan da Cunha administration, keeping those affected informed and ensuring the right support is in place in the UK and across the overseas territories.