THEY’RE ASKING A JUDGE TO BLOCK THE LAW WHILE THE CASE MOVES FORWARD IN COURT. MORE THAN A DOZEN AMERICANS ON THE CRUISE SHIP WHERE THE HANTAVIRUS OUTBREAK BEGAN ARE BACK IN THE STATES TONIGHT. THEY ARRIVED IN NEBRASKA THIS MORNING TO BE MONITORED AT A NATIONAL QUARANTINE UNIT. HEALTH OFFICIALS HERE IN LOUISVILLE ARE STRESSING THAT THE RISK OF CONTRACTING THE VIRUS IS EXTREMELY LOW, SAYING THAT YOU WOULD HAVE TO HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH SOMEONE WHO WAS ON THE SHIP. THEY ALSO SAY THAT THIS SHOULD NOT BE COMPARED TO THE COVID PANDEMIC. THIS IS NOT COVID, THIS IS DIFFERENT. COVID WAS A NEW VIRUS THAT SPREAD VERY, VERY EASILY AMONGST PEOPLE, TO PEOPLE WITH THE STRAIN OF HANTAVIRUS. IT IS A KNOWN QUANTITY THAT HAS BEEN AROUND FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. IT REQUIRES VERY CLOSE, INTIMATE CONTACT. THERE IS NO CURE FOR HANTAVIRUS. DOCTOR BLATT SAY
'This is not Covid': Louisville health officials say risk for hantavirus is low
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Updated: 6:49 PM EDT May 11, 2026
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More than a dozen Americans on the cruise ship where the hantavirus outbreak began are back in the United States.They arrived in Nebraska Monday morning to be monitored at the National Quarantine Unit. Health officials in Louisville are stressing the risk for contracting the virus is extremely low, saying you would have had to be in contact with someone who was on the ship to get it.They also said this should not be compared to the Covid pandemic."This is not Covid. This is different. Covid was a new virus that spread very, very easily amongst people to people," said Norton Children's Infectious Diseases Specialist Dr. Daniel Blatt. "With the Andes strain of hantavirus, it is a known quantity that has been around for many, many years. It requires very close, intimate contact."There is no cure for the virus.Dr. Blatt said treatment often includes hydration, and in severe cases, respiratory support.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — More than a dozen Americans on the cruise ship where the hantavirus outbreak began are back in the United States.
They arrived in Nebraska Monday morning to be monitored at the National Quarantine Unit.
Health officials in Louisville are stressing the risk for contracting the virus is extremely low, saying you would have had to be in contact with someone who was on the ship to get it.
They also said this should not be compared to the Covid pandemic.
"This is not Covid. This is different. Covid was a new virus that spread very, very easily amongst people to people," said Norton Children's Infectious Diseases Specialist Dr. Daniel Blatt. "With the Andes strain of hantavirus, it is a known quantity that has been around for many, many years. It requires very close, intimate contact."
There is no cure for the virus.
Dr. Blatt said treatment often includes hydration, and in severe cases, respiratory support.
