17 US Passengers From Hantavirus Ship Fly to Quarantine in Nebraska

U.S. authorities are transporting 17 American passengers from the hantavirus-stricken MV Hondius to a specialized quarantine facility in Nebraska after one tested positive for the virus. The repatriation is part of a large-scale international evacuation of the cruise ship, which is linked to three deaths and anchored off Spain's Canary Islands.

"This is not another COVID," World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a public message to residents of Tenerife, where the ship is docked. "The risk to the public is low. So they shouldn’t be scared and they shouldn’t be panicked.”

The evacuation involves around 150 passengers and crew from more than 20 nationalities. The outbreak has resulted in three deaths and at least five other confirmed infections among passengers who previously disembarked. A French woman who was repatriated on Sunday has also tested positive, according to the country's health minister. The 17 American passengers were flown to Nebraska for evaluation and monitoring at a biocontainment unit.

The global health response reflects the serious, though rare, nature of the Andes virus, the only hantavirus strain known to be capable of limited human-to-human transmission. The WHO has advised all receiving countries to implement daily health monitoring for up to six weeks, the maximum incubation period for the virus. The ship itself, operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, will sail to the Netherlands for disinfection.

International Evacuation Effort

The complex repatriation operation in Tenerife saw crews in full-body protective suits escorting travelers from the ship. Spanish nationals were the first to depart, followed by charter flights for Canadian, French, Dutch, German, and other European citizens. Flights are scheduled to continue through Monday to return passengers to countries including the U.K., Ireland and Turkey.

Passengers were permitted to take only a small bag of essential items, leaving all other luggage behind for later disinfection and return. The heightened precautions underscore the concern from health authorities over any potential for the virus to spread, even as they stress it is not easily transmitted between people.

Global Health Response

The WHO is coordinating with national health authorities to manage the repatriation and quarantine process. "We are leaving this up to the countries themselves to actually develop their own policies,” said Maria van Kerkhove, a WHO epidemiologist, while noting the organization's clear recommendations for active monitoring.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention deployed a team to the Canary Islands and another to the quarantine facility in Nebraska. The response has drawn scrutiny from some public health experts, who have contrasted the CDC's low-profile role with the more visible leadership from the WHO. In the U.K., military medics have been deployed to the remote territory of Tristan da Cunha, where a former passenger from the Hondius is a suspected case.

The Andes Strain Risk

Hantavirus is typically spread to people through the inhalation of contaminated dust from rodent droppings. The Andes strain, however, can spread between people in rare cases involving prolonged close contact. This potential, combined with a fatality rate that can be high for those who develop severe respiratory illness, is driving the cautious international approach.

Experts, including former WHO Chief Scientist Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, have stated the outbreak is manageable with standard public health measures like contact tracing and isolation. Unlike airborne viruses such as Covid-19, hantavirus does not spread efficiently through casual contact, limiting the risk of a wider pandemic.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.