American citizens aboard the MV Hondius, the cruise ship where the hantavirus outbreak occurred, will be tested in Nebraska after they return home, the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) said.
„Nebraska Medicine and UNMC have been asked to receive and monitor American citizens from the cruise ship where the hantavirus outbreak occurred. These individuals are currently well and asymptomatic,“ the statement noted.
According to ABC News, citing the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), health officials hope that the passengers of the MV Hondius will spend “limited time“ at the Nebraska Medical Center and do not currently plan to impose mandatory inpatient quarantine.
Earlier, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus arrived in Tenerife, the largest island in the Canary Islands, to oversee the evacuation of the cruise ship on May 10. The WHO estimates that 10 flights will be needed to evacuate the passengers – six from EU countries and four from non-EU countries.
On 7 May, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) detected an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness on the Caribbean Princess cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean.
According to the CDC, there are more than 3,100 people on board the ship, including crew members. 115 cases of diarrhea and vomiting have been reported, the CDC noted.
The ship's crew is collecting samples, isolating infected individuals and conducting enhanced disinfection of the vessel. Upon arrival at its destination, the ship will undergo a full disinfection before its next voyage.