Eight Americans Released After Hantavirus Quarantine
On Monday, eight Americans who had been quarantined for six weeks in Nebraska, due to exposure to a hantavirus outbreak, were finally released. One of the individuals accused the government of holding her against her will.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the end of the isolation period for this group, which was part of a larger group evacuated from the MV Hondius cruise ship in the Canary Islands earlier in May.
This ship experienced a serious health crisis, with three fatalities and a total of 13 cases of the rare Andes strain of hantavirus detected among passengers. Initially, 18 Americans were transferred to the national quarantine unit in Omaha.
An HHS spokesperson mentioned that the 42-day quarantine of these final eight individuals was necessary for public safety, despite some critics describing it as “authoritarian” and “unconstitutional.” Emily Hilliard stated that the collaboration between federal, state, and local entities helped protect the public and manage the response effectively.
However, Angela Perryman, one of the passengers, expressed her frustration, claiming the decision to detain them was against their wishes. She mentioned that they were informed around lunchtime on Sunday that their quarantine was over, and they could leave the University of Nebraska medical center.
Perryman insisted on a flight back to Florida that same night, which she said was covered by the government, while many others opted to stay until Monday. “We were locked in our rooms until 1:55 PM,” she recounted. “Then, at 2:00, they told us we could just walk out.”
Experts in health law voiced concerns over Perryman’s enforced detention, arguing it set a troubling precedent. Their concern stemmed from the HHS secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., overriding medical advice from the CDC, which had recommended that those exposed should self-quarantine at home.
Lawrence Gostin, a health law professor, criticized the arbitrary nature of detaining someone without just cause. Another expert, James Hodge, emphasized that public health officials should never resort to unconstitutional methods to manage infectious diseases. Meanwhile, Perryman accused Kennedy of using the situation as a “political stunt.”
Most of the evacuees from the cruise ship were from other nations. Among the deceased were a Dutch couple believed to be the first infected while traveling in South America.
Before the outbreak was known, at least 30 other passengers left the ship, including seven Americans who were permitted to monitor for symptoms at home. When the ship returned to the Netherlands, 25 crew members and two medical staff also had to enter quarantine.
None of the Americans quarantined in Nebraska were reported to have contracted the disease, which typically spreads through inhaling contaminated particles from rodent droppings. The Andes virus, the only human-transmissible strain of hantavirus, can take up to 42 days for symptoms to manifest.
On May 11, 16 Americans were first evacuated to the quarantine unit, followed by two more a few days later. During their quarantine, they received special meals delivered from local restaurants, and nurses occasionally provided coffee runs.
They enjoyed comfortable hotel-like accommodations, equipped with desks, TVs, internet access, and exercise equipment. Jake Rosmarin, one of the passengers, shared a video on social media titled “I’m finally coming home,” as he left his room with his belongings.
Later that day, he posted a view of the Omaha skyline from his plane window on his way back to his family and fiancé. Rosmarin, a travel blogger based in Boston, also expressed his gratitude in an earlier video, thanking the staff, the Omaha community, and his loved ones for their support during their quarantine. “You showed us kindness and compassion every single day,” he reflected, emphasizing how it made a challenging situation more bearable.
