A group of American passengers evacuated from the cruise ship at the center of a deadly hantavirus outbreak arrived in Nebraska early Monday morning, where they will now undergo medical evaluations and monitoring.
According to CNN, the plane carrying 17 U.S. citizens and one British national landed at Eppley Airfield in Omaha shortly before 2:30 a.m. The passengers were then transported by bus to the University of Nebraska Medical Center, home to a federally funded quarantine facility designed to handle highly infectious diseases.
Health officials said the passengers will first be assessed to determine their level of exposure and risk for spreading the virus.
One passenger who tested positive for the virus, but is not currently showing symptoms, was taken directly to the hospital’s specialized biocontainment unit, according to Nebraska Medicine spokesperson Kayla Thomas. Another passenger was reported to have mild symptoms.
The facility has previously been used to care for patients exposed to diseases including Ebola and COVID-19. According to NBC News, the quarantine unit includes 20 rooms equipped with special ventilation systems, private bathrooms, Wi-Fi, meal delivery services and exercise equipment.
Officials have not said how many of the passengers will remain at the facility or how long they may stay there.
Texas passengers among those being monitored
Seven other American passengers who had previously disembarked from the ship are now being monitored in five states, including Texas.
The Texas Department of State Health Services said Thursday that two Houston-area individuals agreed to monitor themselves for symptoms through daily temperature checks.
State officials said the two Texans are not experiencing symptoms and did not have close contact with anyone who was sick while aboard the ship.
What is the Andes strain of hantavirus?
Passengers are being monitored for symptoms tied to the Andes strain of hantavirus, which the World Health Organization says is typically linked to rodents but may spread from person to person in rare cases.
Health officials believe human-to-human transmission may have occurred aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship.
Three people connected to the outbreak have died, according to health officials. Five passengers who left the ship earlier also tested positive.
Symptoms of hantavirus can include fever, chills and muscle aches and may appear anywhere from one to eight weeks after exposure.
Despite growing concern, the World Health Organization emphasized that the risk to the general public remains low.
“This is not another COVID,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Sunday. “The risk to the public is low.”