Five Americans Leave Nebraska Quarantine After Hantavirus Exposure On Cruise Ship
5 hours ago
Five American cruise ship passengers exposed to hantavirus during a deadly outbreak aboard a South Atlantic cruise have been released from a quarantine facility in Nebraska after remaining symptom-free for three weeks.
U.S. health officials said the passengers will complete the remainder of their monitoring period at home. The group was transported to Nebraska under special biocontainment measures after concerns arose about possible exposure to the Andes strain of hantavirus, which can spread between people in rare cases.
The outbreak has been linked to 13 confirmed cases and three deaths among passengers connected to the cruise. Health officials have closely monitored those who may have been exposed because the Andes virus differs from most hantavirus strains, which are typically spread through contact with infected rodent droppings.
Despite the outbreak, federal health authorities say there have been no cases reported in the United States related to the cruise ship.
Officials continue to emphasize that the risk to the general public remains low. The passengers released from quarantine showed no signs of illness during the monitoring period and were cleared to return home under continued observation.
The outbreak has drawn international attention because of the rarity of person-to-person transmission involving the Andes virus and the extensive public health response that followed.
U.S. health officials said the passengers will complete the remainder of their monitoring period at home. The group was transported to Nebraska under special biocontainment measures after concerns arose about possible exposure to the Andes strain of hantavirus, which can spread between people in rare cases.
The outbreak has been linked to 13 confirmed cases and three deaths among passengers connected to the cruise. Health officials have closely monitored those who may have been exposed because the Andes virus differs from most hantavirus strains, which are typically spread through contact with infected rodent droppings.
Despite the outbreak, federal health authorities say there have been no cases reported in the United States related to the cruise ship.
Officials continue to emphasize that the risk to the general public remains low. The passengers released from quarantine showed no signs of illness during the monitoring period and were cleared to return home under continued observation.
The outbreak has drawn international attention because of the rarity of person-to-person transmission involving the Andes virus and the extensive public health response that followed.
