Health officials say infected traveller shows only mild symptoms
The United States Department of Health and Human Services has confirmed that one of 17 American passengers evacuated from a cruise ship linked to a hantavirus outbreak has tested mildly positive for the virus.
In a statement released Sunday, the department said one passenger was experiencing mild symptoms, while another had returned a “mildly PCR positive” result for the Andes strain of hantavirus.
Officials said both individuals travelled in biocontainment units “out of an abundance of caution” during their evacuation from the Canary Islands, where the affected vessel had made a stop.
The passengers arrived at Eppley Airport in Omaha shortly before 2:30 a.m. local time on Monday, according to several US media reports.
Health authorities said the evacuees are being transported to specialised medical facilities in the rural state of Nebraska for monitoring and treatment. The passenger displaying mild symptoms is expected to receive care at a separate centre.
“Each person will undergo clinical assessment and receive appropriate care and support based on their condition,” the department said.
The outbreak has been linked to the MV Hondius expedition cruise ship, where three passengers have died and several others have reportedly fallen ill.
Hantavirus is a rare disease commonly associated with rodents. The Andes strain, identified in some of the recent cases, is notable because it is the only known variant capable of limited human-to-human transmission, though health officials continue to stress that such spread is uncommon.
