An oncologist who volunteered to assist fellow passengers during a hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship has revealed that he is the sole American isolated in a specialized biocontainment unit in Nebraska.
Doctor's Account of the Outbreak
Dr. Stephen Kornfeld, from Bend, Oregon, stated that he stepped forward to help treat passengers aboard the MV Hondius in April when they began falling ill. He was among over 120 passengers and crew evacuated from the vessel and flown to various countries for quarantine. While 15 other Americans are being monitored at the National Quarantine Unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Kornfeld was transferred to a separate unit after a nasal swab he took on the ship tested positive for hantavirus.
“I feel wonderful, 100%,” Kornfeld told CNN’s “Erin Burnett OutFront” during a video call from his hospital room on Tuesday. He acknowledged experiencing flu-like symptoms on the ship, including night sweats, chills, and fatigue, but noted that he currently has no symptoms.
Global Impact and Testing
The World Health Organization reported on Wednesday that a total of 11 hantavirus cases linked to the cruise have been identified worldwide, including three fatalities. Eight cases have been confirmed through laboratory testing. Kornfeld mentioned that a nasal swab he took on the ship was later tested twice in the Netherlands, yielding one negative and one positive result. He is now awaiting results from a new test administered upon his return to the United States.
“The initial test that we received was from abroad and it was inconclusive in its results,” said Dr. David Fitter of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention during a press briefing on Wednesday. “So we’re in the process of testing currently and we hope to have those results back in a day or so.”
Additional Monitoring and Risks
In addition to those in Nebraska, two other Americans are being monitored at the serious communicable disease unit at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta. Health authorities have confirmed that this is the first hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship. While there is no cure or vaccine for hantavirus, the WHO emphasizes that early detection and treatment improve survival rates.
Public health officials assure that the risk to the general public from the cruise ship outbreak remains low. Hantavirus typically spreads through rodent droppings and is not easily transmitted between humans. However, the Andes virus detected on the Hondius may, in rare cases, spread from person to person. The WHO recommends that all passengers and crew from the cruise ship remain in quarantine, either at home or in designated facilities, for 42 days.
Life in Isolation
Kornfeld described his quarters in Nebraska as a hospital room with a comfortable bed. “It’s a little weird being in here by myself,” he said. “But the nurses come in, the doctors come in. I’m on WhatsApp all the time. It’s really amazing how quickly time flies.”
