Hantavirus updates: Canadian cruise ship passenger tests positive for hantavirus
All of the 18 American ship passengers are at the Nebraska quarantine facility.
The total number of confirmed and probable cases of hantavirus of those who were onboard the MV Hondius cruise ship stands at 11, including two people confirmed to have died from the virus and one person who remains suspected to have died from the virus.
No cases of Andes hantavirus have been confirmed in the U.S. The eighteen American ship passengers are being monitored at the quarantine unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
Key Headlines
- Canadian cruise ship passenger tests positive for hantavirus
- Health officials in Washington state tracking hantavirus case unrelated to cruise ship
- 2 cruise ship passengers originally in Atlanta now at Nebraska quarantine facility
- Suspected hantavirus case at upstate New York high school, not linked to cruise ship
- US has no cases of Andes hantavirus
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.
15 in quarantine, 1 in biocontainment unit in Nebraska; 2 in Atlanta
Fifteen passengers were welcomed to the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s quarantine unit Monday morning and one person who tested positive is in the biocontainment unit, according to officials.
The quarantine unit is more like a hotel, while the biocontainment unit is patient-based care, more like a hospital, officials said.
The 15 passengers at the quarantine unit are in “good spirits,” the unit’s medical director, Dr. Mike Waldman, said.
“We’ve been doing symptom monitoring, as well as temperature checks," he said. "Everyone here is asymptomatic and ... do not have a temperature at this time. They're all resting now and we'll do further assessments later in the day, once they've had a chance to sleep."
The one person in the biocontainment unit is doing well and does not have symptoms, but is “very tired” after a “really long journey,” officials said.
The 15 in the quarantine unit will have the option to stay in Nebraska at the quarantine center for the entire 42-day monitoring period, or go home to monitor symptoms, in coordination with their state and local health departments, officials said. This will be based on whether they develop symptoms, have a support structure at home to quarantine and can contact their health department, officials said.
Besides the 16 cruise ship passengers in Nebraska, two cruise ship passengers -- who are a couple -- were flown to Atlanta “for further assessment and care," officials said. At least one of the two in Atlanta had symptoms, officials said.
The two patients in Atlanta "are under medical evaluation" at Emory University’s Serious Communicable Diseases Unit, officials said, noting that their transfer there was "contingency planning."
"That means, if we're on it, since there was symptoms involved, they want to make sure that if they turn out to actually have the hantavirus, that it makes sure that the biocontainment unit here that provides medical care doesn't take up too much space, in case it's needed by the other passengers who are currently here in the more residential section," officials said.
The Georgia Department of Public Health said, "There is no risk to the public at this time. ... DPH is also remaining actively in communication with the CDC and other partners and will continue to do so for as long as necessary as we monitor each development in the coming days and weeks.”
Risk to general public 'very, very low'
The “risk of hantavirus to the general public remains very, very low,” Dr. Brian Christine, Assistant Secretary for Health at the Department of Health and Human Services, said at a news conference on Monday.
The Andes variant "does not spread easily, and it requires prolonged, close contact with someone who is already symptomatic," he assured.
Even though, he said, the department has taken the situation "very seriously from the very start."
Hantavirus on ship is Andes variant
Initial genetic analyses confirmed that the hantavirus on the Hondius cruise ship is of the "known Andes variant and rule out any relevant mutations," Spanish Health Minister Monica Garcia said in a post on social media.
-ABC News’ Victoria Beaulé
Ship captain thanks guests, crew for their kindness, patience during 'challenging' weeks
Jan Dobrogowski, the captain of the Hondius, recorded a message thanking passengers and crew for their patience during the “extremely challenging” last few weeks.
“What touched me the most, what moved me the most, was your patience, your discipline, and also kindness -- kindness that you show to each other. ... I've witnessed your caring, your unity and quiet strength," Dobrogowski said, according to the Associated Press.
He added, “Our thoughts are with the ones that are no longer with us. ... This can be very painful to the people on board, especially already dealing with grief, worry and perhaps uncertainty.”