Eighteen American passengers from a cruise ship linked to a hantavirus outbreak have returned to the United States and are being monitored in medical facilities across multiple states.
Among those returning, 16 individuals are in Nebraska and two are in Atlanta. One person tested positive for the virus, while others remain asymptomatic or under observation for symptoms, according to health officials.
What Happened
The passengers were evacuated from the MV Hondius cruise ship along with 122 other guests and crew members. The vessel is now headed to Rotterdam, Netherlands, with remaining crew members aboard.
According to the World Health Organization, the hantavirus may have spread between people aboard the ship. Since April 11, three passengers have died and several others have become ill.
A British national hospitalized in Johannesburg is “clinically improving but still ill,” a South African Department of Health spokesperson told Reuters. A French woman evacuated near Tenerife remains in intensive care in stable condition, French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said.
The Spread and Risk Assessment
The WHO has confirmed nine hantavirus cases, with seven officially confirmed. The risk to the general public remains low, health officials said.
“Hantavirus is a known virus. It is a known pathogen,” Dr. David Fitter, director of the Division of Global Migration Health at the CDC, said. “The system worked. We’ve moved quickly,” Fitter added, noting that teams were deployed to the Canary Islands to assist passengers.
At least seven states are monitoring residents for possible exposure. Arizona, California, Georgia, New Jersey, Texas, Virginia, and New York are tracking passengers and potential contacts who may have been exposed during flights with infected individuals.
Monitoring and Response
Quarantine efforts include residents from New York, Utah, and California, according to reports. Health officials emphasized that the virus does not spread easily and poses minimal risk to those without direct contact to outbreak-related individuals.
Federal, state, and local agencies are coordinating the response with the State Department, Department of Homeland Security, and the World Health Organization.
This story has been updated. CNN’s Health team contributed to this report.