The Virginia Department of Health is monitoring a possible hantavirus exposure as multiple passengers returned to the U.S. after being on a cruise ship with multiple reported hantavirus infections on board.
So far, it is just a single person from Virginia who was on the boat, but five others may have been exposed. We have confirmation from five states, including Virginia, that passengers who were aboard the cruise ship with the outbreak are back in the country.
One person in Virginia, two in Georgia, two in Texas, another in Arizona, and an undisclosed number of people in California. Health departments in all of these states tell NBC News that the former passengers, whose identities are being withheld, are not showing any symptoms.
The State of Texas explained that the passengers have agreed to monitor themselves for symptoms, with daily temperature checks. The other states declined to share how the passengers are being monitored. All five states declined to answer whether the passengers are quarantining.
Arizona said their resident is not quarantining.
Dr. Sabra L. Klein, a microbiologist at the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said the residents should be quarantining.
“Yes, at least for the duration of the six weeks since a known exposure.”
Dr. Sabra L. Klein, microbiologist at the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Dr. Klein says the six weeks is how long it could take for symptoms to show up if a passenger was exposed and contracted the virus.
The confirmed Andes strain of the virus is usually transmitted through rodents, but in the rare case of human-to-human transmission, Klein says there must be a high level of the virus and very close contact.
“In order for human to human transmission to occur, this requires intimate contact, like sharing a bed, like sharing utensils.”
Dr. Sabra L. Klein, microbiologist at the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
She says that, unlike COVID-19, hantavirus is not readily transmissible.
“People in the United States do not need to be worried. This is not another pandemic. This will never have pandemic potential.“
Dr. Sabra L. Klein, microbiologist at the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Health officials largely believe the risk to the general public is low.