All US passengers from hantavirus-hit ship return home after monitoring

All 18 U.S.-resident passengers aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship, which was investigated for suspected hantavirus cases, have returned to their home states after completing a monitoring period. The ship had docked off the Cape Verde port, where health authorities conducted their investigation.

Sixteen passengers arrived at the University of Nebraska Medical Center's National Quarantine Unit on May 11, following their voyage on the ship linked to a hantavirus outbreak. Two additional former passengers arrived at the unit on May 15. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that no cases of hantavirus disease occurred in the United States stemming from this particular outbreak.

Earlier in May, eight U.S. residents had already returned to their home states after three weeks of observation at the National Quarantine Unit, with ten others also under observation. The World Health Organization recommends monitoring and quarantining high-risk contacts for 42 days post-exposure. Low-risk contacts are advised to self-monitor and seek medical attention if symptoms arise.

“

No cases of hantavirus disease occurred in the United States as a result of this outbreak.