U.S. health officials reported on Thursday that there are currently no confirmed cases of the Andean hantavirus outbreak that recently led to three fatalities on a luxury cruise ship. However, 41 individuals are being monitored for potential infection, with 18 of them in quarantine in Nebraska and Atlanta.
The CDC noted that these individuals include passengers who returned to the U.S. before the outbreak was identified or those who might have been exposed during a flight with a symptomatic traveler.
Dr. David Fitter, who is managing the CDC’s response to the hantavirus situation, advised that most of those being monitored should stay home and limit interactions for six weeks.
The University of Nebraska Medical Center shared on Wednesday that out of the 18 passengers being monitored, 16 are currently under observation. One passenger who was once in a biocontainment unit has been given medical clearance to move to isolation with others.
While the CDC initially indicated a “mild positive” test result for this patient, they later clarified that the result was inconclusive and further testing would be done.
“The tests have been conducted,” Fitter commented. “We simply want to ensure we don’t jump ahead of the states and jurisdictions before sharing the results.”
Fitter also affirmed at a news conference that there are no confirmed cases in the U.S. when asked about the number of individuals tested.
The CDC revealed that over 100 staff members are actively involved in managing the outbreak, responding to earlier critiques about the speed of U.S. health authorities’ actions.
An outbreak of Andean hantavirus, primarily associated with rodents but occasionally transmittable between humans, was first reported in early May aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship. Tragically, it has resulted in the deaths of three passengers: a Dutch couple and a German individual.
The World Health Organization stated on Tuesday that more cases are to be expected from the outbreak linked to the cruise ship, although they emphasized that the situation does not pose a pandemic threat like that of the new coronavirus.
