Last American Passengers Leave Hospital Quarantine After Hantavirus Outbreak

The final eight American passengers who spent 42 days in a special hospital quarantine in Nebraska after being exposed to a rare hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship have now departed the facility. Health officials announced the end of their quarantine on Monday.

Emily Hilliard, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), emphasized in an email that collaborative efforts helped safeguard public health, manage potential risks, and effectively conclude this response.

More than 120 passengers were evacuated from the MV Hondius in the Canary Islands last month. Among them were 18 Americans, though the majority were from other countries. A number of passengers managed to leave the ship prior to the outbreak being recognized, with seven Americans allowed to monitor their symptoms at home. When the ship docked in the Netherlands, 25 crew members, along with two medical professionals, were required to undergo quarantine.

The World Health Organization has not yet provided updates regarding the status of other individuals quarantined around the world. Thirteen cases of the virus, including the three fatalities, were confirmed among those who had been on the cruise.

Quarantine Experience for Some American Passengers

Angela Perryman, one of the American passengers, expressed frustration over being held in quarantine against the advice of a medical expert. She mentioned that the monitoring period concluded Sunday at two in the afternoon, and she caught a flight home later that evening. Other passengers chose to fly out the following day.

“We were kept in our rooms until 1:55, and then at 2:00 it was, ‘All right, everyone can go home now,’” she recounted from her home in Florida.

While some passengers spent additional time in Omaha, Perryman insisted on getting a flight home that evening, which the government covered. Seven of the remaining patients opted to stay voluntarily, but Perryman’s situation was complicated by a contentious quarantine order deemed unnecessary by certain health officials.

Perryman and her group spent six weeks at the National Quarantine Unit, a period enforced due to the long incubation times previously noted for hantavirus. Thankfully, no one developed symptoms during their stay. Ten other individuals left earlier under an agreement to be monitored at home.

Details of the Outbreak

The outbreak unfolded aboard the Dutch cruise ship, MV Hondius, while it was traveling in the South Atlantic. This incident resulted in three deaths, including a Dutch couple believed to be the initial carriers of the virus after traveling in South America. Hantavirus generally spreads through inhalation of contaminated rodent droppings, but officials indicated that the Andes virus responsible for this outbreak may have rare human-to-human transmission capabilities.

Out of approximately 25 Americans aboard, seven had disembarked in April, while 18 stayed on the ship. Sixteen were evacuated to the Nebraska unit on May 11, with two others joining them a few days later.

Quarantine Experience in Nebraska

While quarantined, local Omaha eateries and food trucks provided special meals frequently, and nurses sometimes made coffee runs to accommodate the passengers’ preferences.

The accommodations were akin to hotel rooms, complete with a desk, TV, internet, and workout facilities to help pass the time. Jake Rosmarin, one of the passengers, shared a video of himself leaving the quarantine unit, suitcase in hand, and even captured a glimpse of the Omaha skyline from his plane as he returned home to Boston.

Rosmarin, a travel blogger, posted an emotional video thanking the quarantine staff and the local community for their kindness, and notably wore a Nebraska Huskers sweatshirt sent by someone supportive.

Florida’s Stance on Monitoring

Perryman, however, reflected on a more negative experience. She was mandated to stay due to Florida officials declining a federal request for constant monitoring should she return there. Even though travel arrangements had been underway for weeks, she noted, “Nobody really anticipated anyone would get sick at that point.” She criticized the protracted quarantine as “a political stunt.”