Last eight U.S. passengers exit Nebraska quarantine after hantavirus exposure
Eight American travelers who spent six weeks in a specialized quarantine unit in Omaha have been released, ending the U.S. response to a hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship that caused three deaths.
The final eight American passengers who were held in the National Quarantine Unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center have left the facility, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced on Monday. The quarantine, which lasted up to 42 days, was instituted after the MV Hondius cruise ship experienced an outbreak of the Andes hantavirus, resulting in three fatalities.
HHS spokesperson Emily Hilliard said, > "Through close collaboration among federal, state, and local partners, HHS helped protect the American people, contain potential risks, and bring this response effort to a successful conclusion." The ship had been evacuated in the Canary Islands earlier in the month, with more than 120 passengers and crew taken to various locations for monitoring. Among those, 18 Americans were transferred to the Omaha unit, while others were allowed to self-monitor at home.
No cases of hantavirus were reported among the American passengers during their quarantine. The monitoring period reflected the longest incubation times observed in previous outbreaks of the virus, which can be transmitted through rodent droppings and, in rare instances, person-to-person contact.
Local Omaha businesses provided meals and other amenities to the quarantined passengers, and the unit’s rooms were equipped with standard hotel-style furnishings and internet access. Several passengers shared videos on social media as they departed, expressing gratitude to the medical staff and the community for their support.
The World Health Organization has not yet commented on the status of other individuals who were quarantined worldwide following the incident.
