US Passenger Tests Positive for Hantavirus After Cruise Evacuation

Seventeen American citizens and one British national arrived in Omaha, Nebraska, early Monday after evacuation from the MV Hondius, a Dutch-flagged expedition cruise ship linked to a hantavirus outbreak. One passenger tested mildly positive for the Andes strain of the virus, while another displayed mild symptoms, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.

The group landed at Eppley Airfield around 2:30 a.m. and was transported to the National Quarantine Unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Two individuals traveled in biocontainment units during the flight as a precaution. Officials stated that the passenger who tested positive showed no symptoms at the time of arrival, and all will undergo clinical assessment and monitoring. The recommended quarantine period extends up to 42 days for those exposed.

The outbreak aboard the ship has resulted in seven confirmed cases and two suspected ones, with three passenger deaths reported so far. The World Health Organization attributes the infections to the Andes variant, typically carried by rodents in parts of South America, where the vessel had sailed. Human-to-human transmission remains uncommon for this strain. Spanish authorities docked the ship in Tenerife in the Canary Islands, where remaining passengers and crew continue to disembark under protective protocols.

French health officials confirmed that one of their nationals who left the ship has tested positive and is isolating in Paris, with her condition described as worsening. Two British passengers with confirmed cases are receiving treatment in the Netherlands and South Africa. The first person believed infected died before testing could occur. More than 90 passengers from 19 countries have been repatriated on government and military flights.

Health authorities across involved nations have emphasized that the broader public risk stays very low. The University of Nebraska Medical Center noted its long-standing preparation for such scenarios through coordination with federal and state partners. Passengers were escorted from the vessel in protective gear, and contact tracing has been initiated for close associates of confirmed cases.

The incident marks the first recorded hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship. Symptoms include fever, fatigue, muscle aches, and in severe instances respiratory distress. Officials continue to monitor developments while stressing that the virus does not spread easily among people outside close, prolonged contact.