American Doctor Isolated in Nebraska After Assisting Hantavirus-Affected Cruise Passengers
Dr. Stephen Kornfeld, an American oncologist, is in isolation at a Nebraska biocontainment unit after aiding passengers during a hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship.
Dr. Stephen Kornfeld, an oncologist from Bend, Oregon, is currently isolated at a specialized biocontainment unit in Nebraska following his assistance to passengers during a hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship. Kornfeld volunteered to care for fellow passengers who fell ill during the voyage in April. He was among over 120 passengers and crew evacuated and quarantined in various countries. While 15 other Americans are being monitored at the National Quarantine Unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Kornfeld was placed in a separate unit after a nasal swab taken on the ship tested positive for the virus.
Kornfeld reported experiencing flu-like symptoms, including night sweats, chills, and fatigue, while on the ship but currently has no symptoms. He stated, "I feel wonderful, 100%."
The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported 11 hantavirus cases linked to the cruise, including three deaths, with eight cases confirmed by laboratory tests.
Health authorities emphasize that the risk to the general public from the cruise ship outbreak is low. Hantavirus typically spreads through exposure to rodent droppings and is not easily transmitted between people, though the Andes virus detected on the Hondius may, in rare cases, spread between individuals.
The WHO recommends that passengers and crew from the cruise ship remain in quarantine, either at home or in other facilities, for 42 days.
Kornfeld described his isolation quarters in Nebraska as a hospital room with a comfortable bed. He noted, "It's a little weird being in here by myself. But the nurses come in, the doctors come in. I'm on WhatsApp all the time. It's really amazing how quickly time flies."
