U.S. CDC responds to hantavirus outbreak on cruise ship
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is sending staff to the MV Hondius cruise ship, currently docked in the Canary Islands, due to a hantavirus outbreak that has affected its passengers, reports BritPanorama.
The CDC plans to escort American passengers back to the U.S. aboard a charter flight, with one team subsequently deployed to Nebraska to meet the passengers. They are expected to undergo quarantine at the state’s National Quarantine Unit and Nebraska Biocontainment Unit to mitigate the risk of virus transmission.
“Nebraska Medicine and UNMC remain in close coordination with national partners regarding the evolving situation with the hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship,” states Nebraska Medicine. The organization emphasized its readiness to provide care while ensuring the safety of staff and the community.
Additionally, the U.S. State Department is coordinating the repatriation efforts alongside the CDC, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Spanish government. According to a spokesperson, the chartered flight will feature a biocontainment unit similar to those utilized during prior Covid-19 evacuations.
The State Department confirmed it is maintaining direct communication with Americans aboard the ship and is prepared to offer consular assistance upon the ship’s arrival in Tenerife, Spain.
There are approximately 17 Americans on board the vessel, as reported by its operator, Oceanwide Expeditions. Public details regarding the situation are expected to be released soon, as President Donald Trump indicated to reporters that containment efforts are “very much, we hope, under control.”
Meanwhile, health officials across five states, including Arizona, California, Georgia, Texas, and Virginia, are monitoring individuals who previously disembarked from the ship. So far, none are showing symptoms of infection. New Jersey has also alerted authorities to two individuals who may have been exposed to the virus after departing the MV Hondius.
To date, eight cases of hantavirus among passengers on the MV Hondius have been confirmed, with three fatalities reported. The situation continues to develop as public health and governmental entities respond to the outbreak effectively.
