CDC monitors 41 individuals for Andes hantavirus following cruise ship outbreak
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is tracking 41 people potentially exposed to the virus after an outbreak on the MV Hondius, with 18 passengers in quarantine facilities in Nebraska and Georgia.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is currently monitoring 41 individuals for the Andes strain of hantavirus following an outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship. While there are no confirmed cases of the virus within the United States, the agency has implemented a targeted surveillance strategy involving 18 passengers in quarantine facilities in Nebraska and Georgia, alongside others who have returned home or travelled on flights with symptomatic cases.
David Fitter, incident manager for the CDC’s hantavirus response, stated during a media briefing on Thursday that most individuals under monitoring are considered to have had high-risk exposures. He advised everyone under surveillance to remain at home and avoid contact with others for a 42-day period, which covers the maximum incubation window for the disease. The CDC is not issuing federal quarantine orders for all 41 individuals, instead relying on a risk-based approach to manage potential transmission.
The World Health Organization has confirmed 11 cases and three deaths among passengers on the ship. The Andes virus, found in South America, is distinct from other hantavirus strains because it can be transmitted from person to person, whereas typical strains are passed via rodent droppings or urine. It is a respiratory virus with a fatality rate of approximately 35 percent, with symptoms progressing rapidly from flu-like signs such as fever and muscle aches to severe respiratory distress.
To assist with returning passengers, the University of Nebraska Medical Center developed a diagnostic test for the Andes strain in a matter of days. A Department of Health and Health and Human Services official confirmed to WIRED that all Americans who were on board the MV Hondius at any point during its journey have now returned to the United States.
Fitter emphasised that the agency’s approach is based on risk and evidence, working closely with passengers and public health partners to ensure monitoring and rapid access to care if symptoms develop. The goal is to build plans based on specific situations to protect the health and safety of passengers and American communities, rather than utilising the CDC’s legal authority to issue blanket federal quarantine and isolation orders.
