Hantavirus cruise ship: US passengers to quarantine in Nebraska
American passengers aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius — at the centre of a hantavirus outbreak — will be quarantined at a secured federal facility in Nebraska upon their return to the United States, according to reports citing an official from the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The development marks a significant escalation in the public health response to one of the most closely watched viral outbreaks involving a cruise vessel in recent memory.
Where Passengers Will Be Held
The returning Americans will be received at the National Quarantine Unit, a secured facility located on the campus of the University of Nebraska Medical Centre in Omaha, according to Michael Wadman, the unit's medical director. The facility is specifically designed to handle high-consequence infectious disease cases and has previously been used during other public health emergencies.
Status of the Ship and Repatriation Plans
The MV Hondius is expected to arrive in Tenerife, in Spain's Canary Islands, on Sunday. A US State Department spokesperson confirmed that the agency is arranging a repatriation flight for the 17 American citizens currently aboard the vessel. Separately, at least seven Americans who were previously on the ship are reportedly isolating at home across five states; local health officials indicated that none of them are showing any symptoms of the virus.
CDC Activates Emergency Operations
The CDC has activated its Emergency Operations Centers and classified the hantavirus outbreak as
