May 11 - Eighteen passengers who had been sailing on the MV Hondius, a luxury expedition cruise ship associated with an outbreak of the Andes hantavirus, were transported back to the United States and placed under quarantine, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services officials said at a briefing.
Health officials said the group is under observation at U.S. medical facilities: 16 passengers are at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and two are being monitored in Atlanta. One of the passengers has tested positive and is being treated in a Nebraska biocontainment unit, while another in Atlanta is reported to be experiencing symptoms.
The outbreak has been linked to the Andes virus, the only hantavirus species known to have the capacity for limited person-to-person transmission. Hantaviruses are more commonly spread through contact with wild rodents, officials noted.
At the briefing, Admiral Brian Christine, assistant secretary for health at the agency, emphasized that the Andes virus "does not spread easily" and that transmission generally requires prolonged close contact with a symptomatic person. U.S. health officials reiterated that the risk to the general public is very low.
Officials provided additional details on the repatriated group. The passengers span a wide age range, from their late 20s up to individuals in their late 70s or late 80s. The group includes 17 U.S. citizens and one individual holding dual British nationality who elected to return to the United States. Health authorities said the passengers could remain under monitoring for a period of up to 42 days.
The federal agency's account focused on current containment and monitoring measures without projecting further outcomes. Officials described locations of care, the age distribution of those quarantined, the nationalities involved and the potential duration of observation, while stressing the limited person-to-person transmission characteristics of the Andes virus.
Contextual note: The information presented here reflects statements made by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services officials at a public briefing and reports on the status and locations of the quarantined passengers.