Growing Hantavirus Monitoring Following Cruise Ship Outbreak
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that the number of individuals being monitored for hantavirus in the United States has risen to 41. This comes as new information emerges about potential flight exposures and the condition of those quarantined from the M/V Hondius cruise ship.
Eighteen passengers who were repatriated from the cruise are under observation at facilities in Nebraska and Georgia. Specifically, 16 of these individuals are at the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s National Quarantine Unit, while two are at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta. Additionally, seven more individuals who returned home before the outbreak was identified are also being monitored.
The CDC mentioned that more people, identified as “flight contacts,” are also being kept under observation, though they didn’t specify how many. The travel routes and current locations of these individuals remain undisclosed.
Public health officials state that the risk to the general population is low, with no confirmed cases of hantavirus reported in the U.S. at this time. Notably, none of the quarantined passengers are showing symptoms, according to the CDC.
There have been at least 11 confirmed or suspected hantavirus cases connected to the outbreak on the cruise ship, including three fatalities involving a Dutch couple and a German woman. Those affected have tested positive for the Andes strain, which has the potential for person-to-person transmission, although hantavirus is primarily spread by rodents.
Personal Stories from Quarantine
Jake Rosmarin, a travel influencer from New York, is among those in quarantine. He shared with CBS News that what was intended to be a five-week trip has turned into a 12-week absence from home due to the isolation. Passengers in quarantine must endure a 42-day period without contact.
Rosmarin felt emotional when he reflected on missed events. “I was supposed to go to my cousin’s wedding in Italy and unfortunately I won’t be making that,” he expressed. “I feel terrible, but it’s the right decision.”
He recalled a particularly challenging moment onboard, but focusing on his upcoming wedding helped him cope. “When I was in my darkest place on that ship, we had a wedding planning call,” he explained, emphasizing how it provided a much-needed sense of normalcy amidst uncertainty.
Medical Professionals Stepping In
Dr. Stephen Kornfeld, an oncologist from Oregon who was vacationing on the cruise ship when the outbreak started, spoke with CBS News about his experience. He has since tested negative and has been moved to the quarantine unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
Dr. Angela Hewlett, who has been overseeing his care, confirmed that Kornfeld’s PCR tests returned negative results on two occasions, along with negative antibody tests, making it less likely that his earlier flu-like symptoms were related to hantavirus. She referred to him as a “hero” for stepping up to provide care when it was needed on the cruise.
