June 23 (Reuters) – The University of Nebraska Medical Center said on Monday all 18 U.S.-resident passengers from the hantavirus-hit cruise ship MV Hondius have returned to their home states after completing monitoring at its National Quarantine Unit.
Sixteen of those passengers arrived on May 11 following their trip on the cruise ship, it said. Two more former passengers arrived at the National Quarantine Unit on May 15.
“No cases of hantavirus disease occurred in the United States as a result of this outbreak,” the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
Meanwhile, with an Ebola Bundibugyo outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo infecting over 1,000 people and killing 267 within the first month, Nebraska Medicine said on Tuesday it was not dealing with any cases of exposure to the disease.
“We don’t have an official or active request to accept any individuals exposed to Ebola virus disease,” Angie Vassa, Nebraska Medicine’s Director of Emergency Preparedness and Special Tasks, said during a press briefing, adding that the team is prepared to respond if needed.
Earlier this month, eight U.S. residents returned to their home states following three weeks of monitoring at the National Quarantine Unit for hantavirus. Ten others were under observation.
The Wall Street Journal also reported last week that U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had ordered an American passenger exposed to hantavirus on the cruise ship to remain in quarantine despite medical advice and against her will.
The World Health Organization recommends monitoring and quarantining high-risk contacts for 42 days after exposure, while advising low-risk contacts to self-monitor and seek medical care if symptoms develop.
(Reporting by Puyaan Singh and Christy Santhosh in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D’Silva and Jonathan Ananda)
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