Seventeen American cruise ship passengers from the MV Hondius are set to return to the U.S. after being stranded for weeks due to a hantavirus outbreak that has claimed three lives. They disembarked in the Canary Islands and will be flown to Nebraska, where health officials will conduct testing at the National Quarantine Unit. During their flight, one passenger tested “mildly” positive for the virus.
French health authorities reported a similar case involving a French woman repatriated to Paris. U.S. passengers, who were quarantined on the ship, will be monitored for up to 42 days for potential symptoms but will not face a formal quarantine upon arrival. Most are doing well, but public health experts have criticized the U.S. government’s initial response as slow and disorganized.
The CDC has since ramped up its efforts, establishing emergency operations and collaborating with various health entities. Though hantavirus is not highly contagious between humans, experts stress the importance of improved pandemic preparedness for more virulent strains.
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