OMAHA, Neb. (Rural Health Matters) — Eighteen Americans linked to a hantavirus outbreak aboard a cruise ship have now returned to the United States and are being monitored at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
University of Nebraska President Dr. Jeffrey Gold joined us on Wednesday’s Rural Health Matters to explain what doctors currently know about the disease and the outbreak.
In his conversation with RFD News, Dr. Gold explained that the hantavirus is not new and has been recognized for decades. Most cases are linked to rodent droppings, where people inhale contaminated dust particles. However, he noted that the Andian strain of the hantavirus, a variant found in South America, can spread from person to person.
Dr. Gold says health officials believe the outbreak began with an exposure during the South American cruise and then spread among passengers in close quarters aboard the ship.
Officials are now closely monitoring for any secondary spread while also conducting contact tracing related to flights and travel associated with passengers returning home.
Gold says health officials are encouraged by what they are seeing thus far: “So, 18 American citizens were repatriated in the very early hours of Monday morning of this week. Of those, 16 are currently residing here at the University of Nebraska Medical Center Campus, and two went on to Emory University. I can tell you, as of this morning, all are alive and well and have absolutely no symptoms of the hantavirus.”
Dr. Gold added that the individuals remain under observation and are being cared for by specialized medical staff.
