Seventeen American passengers exposed to Hantavirus have been transported to the Nebraska Medical Center in the United States for observation. According to the U.S. Department of Health, they will be kept in quarantine for 42 days for health screenings. The passengers were repatriated via a special U.S. government aircraft from the cruise ship ‘MV Hondius’.
Cases of Hantavirus were detected while the ship was docked at Spain’s Canary Islands. Among the passengers, one has been confirmed to be infected with Hantavirus, while another is exhibiting mild symptoms; both have been placed under a specialized biocontainment system as a precaution. The remaining passengers will also undergo testing; those confirmed to be infected will receive treatment, while those found healthy may be allowed to return home under continued health surveillance.
Doctors state that Hantavirus symptoms can take anywhere from one to eight weeks to appear. Following infection, patients may experience high fever, body aches, weakness, and difficulty breathing. In severe cases, there is a risk of fluid accumulation in the lungs, which can be fatal. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there is a 35 to 40 percent risk of death within six weeks for those infected.
The virus is primarily transmitted from animals like rats and squirrels through their feces, urine, and saliva. The virus was named after the Hantan River in South Korea. The WHO has noted that a specific strain called the “Andes” Hantavirus can also spread from human to human through saliva, sharing food, or sharing a bed, with caregivers being at higher risk.
The first case of Hantavirus was recorded in the U.S. in 1993 following the death of an American couple, where investigators found rodent habitats and viral traces near their home. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), approximately 150,000 Hantavirus cases occur worldwide annually, with the majority in Europe and Asia, and over half of those reported in China. In 2018, an outbreak at a birthday party in Argentina infected 34 people, resulting in 11 deaths. However, U.S. officials maintain that Hantavirus does not spread easily, stating that the risk of transmission only exists during extremely close contact with a symptomatic individual.
Jay Bhattacharya, Acting Director of the CDC, stated that health officials will identify those in close contact with infected individuals to determine risk levels, with others placed in a low-risk group. Authorities emphasize that this virus is not as rapidly transmissible as COVID-19, as most cases stem from direct contact with rodent waste. Currently, there is no specific vaccine or medicine for Hantavirus; doctors provide symptomatic treatment, such as oxygen or ventilators for breathing issues and fluids to balance blood pressure. Early identification significantly increases the chances of survival, and anyone experiencing fever or respiratory distress is urged to seek immediate medical attention.
While some passengers may be allowed home after initial tests, they will remain under the monitoring of local health agencies. The CDC requires a 42-day observation period, during which individuals must isolate if symptoms appear. The Nebraska Medical Center houses the only federally supported National Quarantine Unit in the U.S., featuring rooms with negative air pressure systems to prevent airborne viral spread.
Officials noted that the passengers were not brought in on stretchers but walked from the plane to vehicles that transported them to the unit. According to Dr. Michael Wadman, the facility is managed like a hotel where meals are provided in-room, light exercise is permitted, and daily health checks are conducted. Any passenger who becomes seriously ill will be moved to a specialized Biocontainment Unit for high-level infectious disease treatment.
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