U.S. health authorities have issued quarantine orders for two passengers from a cruise ship linked to a hantavirus outbreak. These passengers are currently under observation at a Nebraska hospital. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) acting director, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, signed the orders, as stated in a CDC announcement.
Quarantine orders, which are enforceable by fines and imprisonment, represent a rare action typically taken when individuals resist public health measures. All 18 passengers at the Nebraska facility have been requested to stay until May 31. This is part of their monitoring timeline, according to CDC officials.
During a call with reporters, Dr. David Fitter of the CDC mentioned that none of the returning U.S. passengers have exhibited hantavirus symptoms. However, Jodie Guest from Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health pointed out that symptoms can take up to 42 days to manifest, based on past outbreaks. “The 42-day quarantine may feel prolonged for those affected, but it’s determined by the virus’s incubation period,” she explained.
The CDC reported three additional hantavirus cases identified in France, Spain, and Canada since passengers disembarked from the ship. Last Wednesday, the World Health Organization confirmed a total of 11 cases related to the cruise, which resulted in three fatalities. Eight cases have been confirmed through laboratory testing.
Hantaviruses typically spread through inhalation of dust contaminated with rodent feces. However, the specific hantavirus responsible for the current outbreak, known as the Andes virus, may infrequently transmit between humans. Public health authorities assess the outbreak’s risk to the general population as low.
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