Jake Rosmarin, a 30-year-old content creator and photographer from Boston, is making the best of his quarantine at the national quarantine unit at the University of Nebraska medical center in Omaha. He is one of 18 Americans under observation after a hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship killed three people and sickened others.
Quarantine Conditions
Rosmarin described his isolation room as a 'very nice room,' resembling a small hotel suite with a closet, smart TV, bathroom, small refrigerator, bed, chair, and stationary bike. He has windows but keeps the blinds closed due to media attention. He has already ordered a mattress pad and new pillows to make his stay more comfortable.
Nurses bring his meals, leaving them on a tray outside his door. He opens the door with a mask on to collect the food. Most nurses do not enter his room, and doctors wear full personal protection equipment, including gowns and masks, when they visit.
Health Status and Precautions
Rosmarin never got sick during the voyage. Public health officials have stated that the risk of the virus spreading to the general public is very low, and healthy people are being quarantined as a precaution. Hantavirus usually spreads from rodent droppings and is not easily transmitted between people, but the Andes virus detected in this outbreak may be able to spread between people in rare cases.
Outside of medical staff, Rosmarin cannot receive visitors. He spends his time in isolation, taking it one day at a time. He received a special treat from nurses: an iced horchata with oat milk and vanilla cold foam, which he shared on social media.
The Outbreak on MV Hondius
Eleven people on the MV Hondius fell ill, with at least nine confirmed cases of hantavirus. Three people died, including a Dutch couple believed to have been the first exposed while visiting South America. The last remaining passengers disembarked on Monday and boarded flights to more than 20 countries to enter quarantine.
Rosmarin began traveling the world in 2022 after quitting his job as a media buyer. He had an influencer partnership with the ship's operator, which covered the cost of his trip. The voyage included stops at remote islands in the South Atlantic, such as South Georgia island, where passengers saw king penguin colonies, gentoo penguins, fur seals, elephant seals, chinstrap penguins, and albatross.
He described the MV Hondius as an expedition vessel, not a cruise ship, with strict biosecurity measures to protect fragile ecosystems. However, these precautions were meant to protect the environment from passengers, not the other way around. His planned five-week trip stretched to six because he could not disembark once the outbreak was discovered.
Personal Impact
Rosmarin's fiance is waiting for him back in Boston. The couple plans to marry next year. Rosmarin noted that his fiance tried to stay calm but was likely very scared. Despite the circumstances, Rosmarin remains positive and is determined to make the best of his quarantine experience.
