Hantavirus cruise ship passengers can leave Nebraska before 42 days: officials
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Hantavirus survivor Jennifer Benewiat shares the harrowing story of contracting the deadly disease in 2010. He explains that he was on a ventilator, his heart stopped three times, and he had to relearn basic motor skills. Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel reassures viewers about current cases, noting differences from past outbreaks and the rarity of the virus.
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Cruise ship passengers being monitored for hantavirus in Nebraska will be allowed to leave the medical facility before the end of the 42-day period if certain conditions are met, a public health official said Monday.
Individuals will remain at the facility in Nebraska for at least a few days during evaluations, said Brendan Jackson, acting director of the Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases.
They will have the option to stay in Nebraska for 42 days if they choose, but if they choose to return home, there will be several factors that play into the decision, such as “whether they remain symptom-free or not,” he said.
Health officials will also evaluate whether travelers can safely isolate at home, maintain contact with local health departments, and quickly access testing or medical care if symptoms develop.
AMERICANS EXPOSED TO HANTAVIRUS ON A BLACK PASSENGER SHIP IN NEBRASKA
Brendan Jackson, MD, acting director of the division of high-consequence pathogens and pathology at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, speaks at a press conference at the Davis Global Center on the campus of the University of Nebraska Medical Center, which houses the National Quarantine Unit, on May 11, 2026, in Omaha, Neb. (Dylan Widger/Getty Images)
Only those who can meet these standards and whose states can coordinate monitoring will be allowed to leave the country.
Still, officials emphasized that the final decision will ultimately concern passengers.
“Yes,” Jackson said when asked if that would be their choice. “We want to do this in the least restrictive way possible, protecting the health and safety of both passengers and communities.”
If necessary, passengers can remain at the facility for the full monitoring period, Jackson said.
Of the 18 people repatriated to the United States following a hantavirus outbreak linked to a cruise ship, 16 are currently in Nebraska and two are in Atlanta.
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Michael Wadman, medical director of the National Quarantine Unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, stated that 15 of the individuals in Nebraska were in quarantine and one was placed in a biocontainment unit.
Angela Hewlett, MD, medical director of the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit, speaks at a press conference at the Davis Global Center on the campus of the University of Nebraska Medical Center, where the National Quarantine Unit is located, May 11, 2026, in Omaha, Neb. (Dylan Widger/Getty Images)
Angela Hewlett, medical director of the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit, stated during the press conference that the individual in the biocontainment unit had a previous “suspected positive test” and that this “did not occur in the United States.” He said the person was not experiencing any symptoms.
One of the passengers transported to Atlanta was symptomatic, HHS’ Matthew Ferreira said.
Adm. Brian Christine, assistant secretary of health for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said at the press conference that the risk posed by hantavirus to the general public is “very, very low.”
“The Andean strain of this virus does not spread easily and requires prolonged, close contact with someone who is already symptomatic,” he explained.
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This aerial photo shows an overview of the cruise ship MV Hondius standing off the port of Praia, the capital of Cape Verde, on May 4, 2026. (AFP via Getty Images)
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CDC explains “Andes virus is the only type of hantavirus known to spread from person to person. This spread is generally limited to people in close contact with the sick person. This includes direct physical contact, staying in close or confined spaces for long periods of time, and exposure to the sick person’s body fluids,” reads the Internet.
Fox News Digital’s Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.
