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American passengers exposed to hantavirus arrive back in US

American passengers exposed to hantavirus arrive back in US
So there are *** lot of unknowns here, um, but as was mentioned earlier, it, it seems that with this, with Honta virus, um, the specific Andes virus that this can be transmitted person to person, but it typically does require very close contact and typically when those individuals are symptomatic. Now again recognizing that like I said, although this is, you know, there are some unknowns and this is not ***. Not *** new virus. This is not the scenario that we encountered with COVID. We had *** brand new, brand new virus. So there is some information, uh, known about Andy's virus, and, and we feel fortunate to at least have that, um, but again, this, this will be an ongoing assessment. There are *** lot of moving parts right now, but we'll do our best to take care of the individuals, um, both in the quarantine unit and in the biocontainment unit and make sure they receive the best care and go ahead. Just to make sure that we reiterate that even here at the quarantine center, the rooms have negative pressure so that the virus cannot leave the room generally and then the ventilation is separate from the rest of the building, goes right out, and then it's filtered through high efficiency particulate air filters, so the risk to the general public for those patients who are here, even if they were to become symptomatic, is very, very minimal to, to none. Yeah, and
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Updated: 11:05 AM EDT May 11, 2026
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American passengers exposed to hantavirus arrive back in US
WLKY logo
Updated: 11:05 AM EDT May 11, 2026
Editorial Standards
Health officials provided new details Monday after 16 American passengers exposed to hantavirus on a cruise ship arrived in Nebraska.The passengers evacuated from the hantavirus-hit cruise ship landed in Nebraska early Monday. According to FlightAware, the Boeing 747 operated by Kalitta Air took off from Tenerife, Spain and landed at Eppley Airfield in Omaha just before 2:30 a.m. local time. One of the passengers on board tested positive for hantavirus but is not showing any symptoms, and another had mild symptoms, U.S. health officials said late Sunday. Sister station KETV in Omaha reports the passenger with hantavirus was separated from the others on board for treatment. The one passenger who tested positive for hantavirus will stay at the biocontainment unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center."We assessed that individual, they are doing well actually," Dr. Angela Hewlett, medical director of the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit, said. "They currently do not have any symptoms, and have a good appetite, although they're very tired, understandably."Officials said they will continue to monitor the passenger who has tested positive."I'm really proud of how our team responded and how we all came together to execute this very complicated transfer of multiple different individuals into these different units," Hewlett said.Officials said two passengers were taken for monitoring in Atlanta, including the passenger who was showing symptoms.All other passengers will be monitored in the National Quarantine Unit in Omaha.The University of Nebraska Medical Center will assess whether the the patients have been in close contact with any symptomatic people and their risk levels for spreading the virus.Officials said the passengers could be monitored either at home or in the hospital for up to 42 days.“One passenger will be transported to the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit upon arrival, while other passengers will go to the National Quarantine Unit for assessment and monitoring. The passenger who is going to the Biocontainment Unit tested positive for the virus but does not have symptoms,” said Kayla Thomas, a spokesperson for the Nebraska Medicine hospital that will help care for the passengers.Video above: Passengers exposed to hantavirus land in OmahaThe medical school also has a special unit for treating people with highly infectious diseases that was used early in the pandemic for COVID-19 patients and previously for Ebola patients. A French woman evacuated from the cruise ship tested positive for hantavirus and her health worsened in the hospital overnight, French Health Minister Stephanie Rist said Monday.She was among five French passengers repatriated Sunday to Paris from the MV Hondius.Passengers from the ship began flying home aboard military and government planes Sunday after the vessel anchored in the Canary Islands. Personnel in full-body protective gear and breathing masks had escorted the travelers from ship to shore in Tenerife in an effort that was continuing Monday.WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has stressed that the general public should not be worried about the outbreak. “This is not another COVID. And the risk to the public is low. So they shouldn’t be scared, and they shouldn’t panic," he said Sunday.Three people have died since the outbreak began, and five people who left the ship earlier were infected.The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Health officials provided new details Monday after 16 American passengers exposed to hantavirus on a cruise ship arrived in Nebraska.

The passengers evacuated from the hantavirus-hit cruise ship landed in Nebraska early Monday. According to FlightAware, the Boeing 747 operated by Kalitta Air took off from Tenerife, Spain and landed at Eppley Airfield in Omaha just before 2:30 a.m. local time.

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One of the passengers on board tested positive for hantavirus but is not showing any symptoms, and another had mild symptoms, U.S. health officials said late Sunday. Sister station KETV in Omaha reports the passenger with hantavirus was separated from the others on board for treatment.

The one passenger who tested positive for hantavirus will stay at the biocontainment unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

"We assessed that individual, they are doing well actually," Dr. Angela Hewlett, medical director of the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit, said. "They currently do not have any symptoms, and have a good appetite, although they're very tired, understandably."

Officials said they will continue to monitor the passenger who has tested positive.

"I'm really proud of how our team responded and how we all came together to execute this very complicated transfer of multiple different individuals into these different units," Hewlett said.

Officials said two passengers were taken for monitoring in Atlanta, including the passenger who was showing symptoms.

All other passengers will be monitored in the National Quarantine Unit in Omaha.

The University of Nebraska Medical Center will assess whether the the patients have been in close contact with any symptomatic people and their risk levels for spreading the virus.

Officials said the passengers could be monitored either at home or in the hospital for up to 42 days.

“One passenger will be transported to the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit upon arrival, while other passengers will go to the National Quarantine Unit for assessment and monitoring. The passenger who is going to the Biocontainment Unit tested positive for the virus but does not have symptoms,” said Kayla Thomas, a spokesperson for the Nebraska Medicine hospital that will help care for the passengers.

Video above: Passengers exposed to hantavirus land in Omaha

The medical school also has a special unit for treating people with highly infectious diseases that was used early in the pandemic for COVID-19 patients and previously for Ebola patients.

A French woman evacuated from the cruise ship tested positive for hantavirus and her health worsened in the hospital overnight, French Health Minister Stephanie Rist said Monday.

She was among five French passengers repatriated Sunday to Paris from the MV Hondius.

Passengers from the ship began flying home aboard military and government planes Sunday after the vessel anchored in the Canary Islands. Personnel in full-body protective gear and breathing masks had escorted the travelers from ship to shore in Tenerife in an effort that was continuing Monday.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has stressed that the general public should not be worried about the outbreak. “This is not another COVID. And the risk to the public is low. So they shouldn’t be scared, and they shouldn’t panic," he said Sunday.

Three people have died since the outbreak began, and five people who left the ship earlier were infected.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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