An American passenger from the hantavirus-affected cruise ship MV Hondius has tested positive for the virus, as passengers arrived in Nebraska for medical evaluation. The individuals landed at Eppley Airfield in Omaha shortly before 2:30 am on Monday morning, with 17 U.S. citizens and one British national residing in the U.S. on board, as confirmed by Spanish Health Minister Mónica García to CNN.
Biocontainment Measures Taken
Late Sunday night, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced on X that two passengers were transported in biocontainment units "out of an abundance of caution." One passenger exhibited mild symptoms, while another tested "mildly PCR positive" for the Andes variant of hantavirus, according to the HHS.
Quarantine and Care Plans
The passengers were scheduled to be moved to a facility at the University of Nebraska Medical Center/Nebraska Medicine, with the symptomatic individual to be taken to a separate site. "Upon arrival at each facility, each individual will undergo clinical assessment and receive appropriate care and support based on their condition," the HHS stated.
Nebraska Medicine confirmed that the individuals will be observed in the National Quarantine Unit. "We are prepared for situations exactly like this," said Michael Ash, CEO of Nebraska Medicine. "Our teams have trained for decades alongside federal and state partners to ensure we can safely provide care while protecting our staff and the broader community. We are proud to support this national effort."
Diagnostic Test Results
The Spanish Ministry of Health reported that one passenger tested positive after an official from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control evaluated those on the cruise ship. "A diagnostic test was carried out and sent to two laboratories; in one of them, the result was considered by the U.S. authorities to be a weak positive, although for us it was not conclusive," a ministry statement read. "The second test result was negative."
Spanish officials noted that the passenger had not shown symptoms while in Cape Verde. The passenger with mild symptoms developed a "mild cough on May 6, which resolved after that day," the officials added.
