16 Americans from the MV Hondius arrived at the Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha today…
Two others were transferred to Emory in Atlanta after one developed severe symptoms…
The “Andes strain” cluster has already claimed three lives during the South American voyage…
WHO chief says “we expect more cases” as dozens of passengers are monitored in other states…
The ship has been sent to Rotterdam for deep cleaning after disembarking in Tenerife…
CDC investigators are tracking every person who left the ship at earlier ports…
The “cluster” is growing, and the CDC is playing catch-up with passengers already home.
- As of May 12, nine confirmed and two suspected cases of hantavirus infection have been associated with a cruise aboard the Dutch-flagged MV Hondius, according to the World Health Organization. The ship departed Argentina on its current voyage April 1. Three people have died.
- After disembarking at Tenerife Sunday (May 10), the remaining passengers and some of its crew on board the MV Hondius have returned on chartered flights to their respective countries. Fifteen American citizens and one British national have been taken to a quarantine facility in Nebraska, where they will be assessed for symptoms and exposure risk. Two people have been transported to Emory University’s Serious Communicable Diseases Unit in Atlanta.
- Additionally, several dozen people disembarked the ship on St. Helena on April 24. These passengers include seven Americans, who are now being monitored across five states.
- Hantavirus infections in humans are relatively uncommon, but when they do occur, they can be deadly. Most hantavirus infections in humans stem from exposure to infected rodents. However, the hantavirus behind this outbreak — the Andes virus — is also known to be able to spread between people.
- This outbreak poses little risk to the general public, the WHO and U.S. CDC emphasize.