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Hantavirus live updates: Patient in France presenting 'severe form' of virus
The French patient is "in intensive care in a serious condition."
The total number of confirmed and probable cases of hantavirus onboard the MV Hondius cruise ship has risen to 11, including two people confirmed to have died from the virus and one person who remains suspected to have died from the virus.
Passengers disembarked the cruise ship in Tenerife, in the Canary Islands, to be transferred to charter flights back to their home countries.
On Monday, 16 American cruise ship passengers arrived at the University of Nebraska Medical Center; 15 are in the quarantine unit and one person who tested positive is in the biocontainment unit, officials said. Two other American cruise ship passengers were flown to Atlanta for "further assessment and care," officials said.
Key Headlines
- American quarantining in Nebraska shares video tour of his room
- Passengers in Nebraska undergoing in-depth interviews, symptom monitoring
- 2 people being monitored in Seattle area
- 25 crew, 2 medical staff remain on ship; no one has symptoms
- Positive patient in France presenting 'severe form,' in 'serious condition'
What is hantavirus and how does it spread?
Here's what you need to know about hantavirus including what it is, how it spreads, how it's treated and if there are any prevention methods:
What is hantavirus?
Hantaviruses are a family of viruses that can cause serious illnesses and death, according to the CDC.
How does hantavirus spread?
Hantaviruses may also spread from person to person, but that also is rare and only suspected for one subtype from South America, according to the WHO.
Read more about hantavirus here.
Ship sets sail after evacuating passengers, crew
The MV Hondius cruise ship has set sail from Spain after evacuating passengers and crew from 23 countries, Spanish health minister Monica Garcia said.
"Mission accomplished. Thank you to everyone who made this possible. We continue working to protect public health,” Garcia said.
The ship still has "around 30 people, the crew and two health workers, and they will need our support throughout their journey until they reach Rotterdam,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization. “... We will continue to monitor and support them in any way possible.”
8 more people in isolation in French hospital, prime minister says
Eight French nationals who shared a flight with a sick person 15 days ago are now in isolation at a hospital in France, French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said. None of the eight have symptoms, he said.
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This is in additional to the five French nationals who returned to France on Sunday from the cruise ship and are in isolation at Bichat Hospital in Paris. Four are still testing negative, while the one who tested positive for hantavirus is in intensive care in stable condition, the prime minister said.
-ABC News' Will Gretsky
Eligible passengers who opt to go home won't fly commercial: CDC
In the coming days, as the cruise ship passengers decide whether to stay at the University of Nebraska quarantine facility or self-monitor at home, those who opt to go home will not fly on a commercial flight, an official from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told ABC News. Passengers who opt to go home will have been assessed by health officials for any signs of illness.
-ABC News’ Youri Benadjaoud
Trump says US in 'good shape,' adding, 'I hope it's fine'
President Donald Trump discussed the hantavirus outbreak on Monday, saying, "We think we're in very good shape. We're very careful."
“It’s been around for a long time," he said of the hantavirus. "People are very familiar with it. So, you know, I hope it's fine."
“All I can do is, everything that a president can do, which is something which is actually somewhat limited,” he continued.
Trump also defended his withdrawal from the World Health Organization earlier this year, saying he is “glad” he made this decision.
“No, I’m glad,” Trump said when asked if he regrets withdrawing from WHO.
“We weren't being treated well, and they were making the wrong diagnoses,” he claimed, later arguing that the organization either “lied” to him or “didn’t know.”
-ABC News’ Emily Chang