An American doctor on board the M/V Hondius cruise ship, which is battling a hantavirus outbreak that has killed three people, has revealed that passengers have 'not received any guidance on returning home safely or disembarking the ship.'
Congresswoman Calls for Immediate Action
Congresswoman Janelle Bynum from Oregon stated that she spoke with Oregon resident Dr. Stephen Kornfield, who 'stepped up to provide medical attention and treat passengers aboard the ship who have come in contact with the hantavirus due to the primary doctor on board getting sick.' Bynum has sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CDC Acting Director Jay Bhattacharya, 'demanding repatriation, medical support, and consular assistance for the 17 American citizens' on board.
Her letter states: 'The Americans on board deserve action. Four days is more than enough time for the federal government to establish a coordinated response, communicate clearly with those affected, and ensure that US citizens are not left stranded in a deadly outbreak overseas. The seventeen Americans on board, including my constituent, are being abandoned by their government. They have no guidance and no support to ensure their safe return home.'
CDC and State Department Response
The CDC issued an alert Wednesday night regarding the outbreak, which has infected at least seven other people. The statement said: 'The administration is closely monitoring the situation with US travelers onboard the M/V Hondius cruise ship with confirmed hantavirus. Our top priority remains the health and safety of all US passengers.' The Department of State is also 'leading a coordinated, whole-of-government response including direct contact with passengers, diplomatic coordination and engagement with domestic and international health authorities.' Because the vessel is sailing under the Dutch flag, the Netherlands is coordinating consular assistance for passengers, including those with other nationalities.
Wider Outbreak Concerns
Concern about a wider outbreak off the cruise ship has risen as passengers who have already disembarked from the M/V Hondius have returned home to several different countries, including the US. American passengers are now being monitored in Georgia, California, Texas, Virginia, and Arizona. The CDC statement continued: 'As the world's leader in global health security, the US government is using our premier health experts to guide our response to this evolving situation. We are working closely with our international partners to provide technical assistance and guidance to mitigate risk.' For Americans, the CDC said the current risk is low, but the agency is urging those on the cruise 'to follow the guidance of health officials as we work to bring you home safely.'
State-Level Monitoring
State health officials in Georgia, California, Arizona, Virginia, and Texas have all confirmed that several residents from each state were onboard the vessel and have since returned home, where they are being monitored for signs of hantavirus. Officials have confirmed to the Daily Mail that two people in Georgia, one person in Arizona, and an unspecified number of people in California are back in their respective states and are being monitored by local health authorities.
The Georgia Department of Public Health told the Daily Mail it 'is monitoring two Georgia residents who returned home after disembarking from the MV Hondius, the cruise ship at the center of a hantavirus outbreak. The individuals are currently in good health and show no signs of infection. They are following current recommendations from CDC.'
The California Department of Public Health also told the Daily Mail that it 'has been notified by the CDC of California residents that were onboard the cruise ship that had passengers infected with hantavirus. We are coordinating with local health officials, as needed, to monitor returning travelers. There is no information that the California residents are ill or infected.' The department declined to provide additional details on the patients, citing privacy protection. However, officials told Daily Mail: 'At this time, the risk to public health in California is low.'
The Arizona Department of Health Services told the Daily Mail it 'has received notification of one Arizona resident that was a passenger on the MV Hondius. This individual is not symptomatic and is being monitored by public health.'
The Virginia Department of Health told the Daily Mail in a statement: 'The Virginia Department of Health is monitoring this situation closely and has been in active communication with our federal partners at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). To date, one Virginia traveler who was on the MV Hondius disembarked the ship and has returned home. This person is currently in good health and is under public health monitoring.' The department also declined to share further details on the individual, citing privacy concerns. Officials also told the Daily Mail: 'Our understanding is that fewer than 30 U.S. Citizens were on board the ship. A small number (<5) of other potentially exposed Virginians might be identified in the days ahead. We will maintain communication with travelers, local health departments, and federal partners, and will continue to implement recommended public health actions. Generally speaking, we believe the risk to the general public to be low.'
Georgia officials noted its residents are following recommendations from the CDC. The agency advises those exposed to hantavirus watch for symptoms for 45 days after the last potential exposure. Daily Mail has contacted the CDC for additional information regarding recommendations.
