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Americans remain in quarantine after hantavirus outbreak on cruise ship
American passengers from the MV Hondius remain in quarantine at a federally funded facility in Omaha, Nebraska, after a hantavirus outbreak on the cruise ship. Officials say none of the quarantined passengers are currently symptomatic or positive. The outbreak has been linked to 11 cases, including three deaths. Among those quarantined is Jake Rosmarin, a former Orange County, New York, resident who has been documenting his experience on social media.
NEW YORK - Two of the three New Yorkers being monitored for hantavirus will finish their quarantine in New York.
2 New Yorkers returning to state
What we know:
Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald has provided a statement regarding the status of the three New Yorkers who were passengers on the MV Hondius cruise ship, more commonly known as the ship connected to a potential hantavirus outbreak.
"New York State has been informed that, of those three [New Yorkers], one is remaining in Nebraska to complete their 42-day monitoring period," the doctor said, "while the other two are expected to return to New York next week."
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3 New Yorkers evacuated from hantavirus cruise ship
Three passengers of the cruise ship connected to a potential hantavirus outbreak are New York state residents.
Both of them will be transported via non-commercial flights to complete their quarantine period, which ends on June 22. They will quarantine in their residences outside of New York City.
The backstory:
Hantavirus refers to a group of viruses primarily spread to humans through contact with infected rodents, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Hantavirus latest: Americans disembark cruise and head home for quarantine
Passengers, including Americans, aboard the cruise ship stricken by a hantavirus outbreak disembarked in the Canary Islands and began flying home Sunday on military and government planes after being escorted ashore by personnel in full protective gear. FOX 5 N.Y.'s Stephanie Bertini has the latest.
People can become infected by breathing in virus particles from rodent urine, droppings or saliva, especially in enclosed spaces that have not been cleaned properly. The virus can also spread through rodent bites in rare cases.
In the United States, hantavirus can cause hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, or HPS, a severe respiratory illness that can be deadly.
The Source: This article includes a statement provided by Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald.