The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says hantavirus remains a low public health risk as federal and state health officials continue to monitor those exposed to the virus following an outbreak aboard an international cruise ship.
As of May 13, a total of 11 hantavirus cases, including three deaths, have been reported among passengers aboard the MV Hondius ship, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Eight of those cases have been confirmed. The CDC shares that currently, no Americans have conclusively tested positive for hantavirus.
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Dr. David Fitter, incident manager for the CDC’s hantavirus response, said during Wednesday’s media briefing that while the agency is encouraging exposed passengers to isolate, no formal quarantine orders have been issued, meaning those not housed in quarantine facilities are not officially required to stay home.
“Currently, there are no state or federal quarantine orders that have been drawn. We’re working really closely with all contacts to ensure that they understand what is expected for them to appropriately monitor themselves,” Fitter said.
The CDC has established a 42-day monitoring period that began May 11, the day U.S. passengers disembarked the ship and returned to the United States. Officials are encouraging passengers to remain in quarantine through the end of that monitoring period.
“Our goal is to ensure that we’re able to follow our monitoring guidelines, but to work with passengers to ensure that they’re able to do it. And if they need to do it somewhere else, we will work with them, will work with state and local health departments to ensure that that happens as well,” Fitter said.
16 of the 18 U.S. passengers who were on the MV Hondius were transported to Omaha, Nebraska, on Monday, where they are being monitored in the National Quarantine Unit. Officials in multiple states are monitoring hantavirus exposures or possible infections as of May 13.
WHO says its working hypothesis is that the first case aboard the MV Hondius was infected on land before boarding the ship, and that any more cases that developed point to human-to-human transmission aboard the ship. Investigations are ongoing in collaboration with authorities in Argentina and Chile to determine the source of the outbreak and the circumstances of initial exposure.
For the latest case counts and updates, visit the WHO Disease Outbreak News website or follow WHO on social media.
Virginia’s hantavirus case
The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is closely monitoring the situation after confirming one Virginia traveler was aboard the MV Hondius during the outbreak. That person has since returned home and is currently in good health and under public health monitoring, VDH says. To protect the individual’s privacy, VDH will not share additional details.
VDH says its understanding is that fewer than 30 U.S. citizens were on board the ship. “A small number, fewer than five, of other potentially exposed Virginians might be identified in the days ahead,” VDH officials said as of May 8. If other exposed Virginia residents return to the state, VDH says it will monitor their health and advise them on precautions to protect themselves and others.
Because it can take up to six weeks for symptoms to develop after exposure, additional cases remain possible in the following weeks.
Dr. Caitlin Rivers, director of the Center for Outbreak Response Innovation at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said the extended monitoring timeline, while lengthy, serves an important public health purpose.
“The longer timeline gives public health officials time to conduct contact tracing so it can be a benefit,” Rivers said. “However, it does mean we (the public) may learn of additional cases in the weeks ahead, as people already exposed develop symptoms.”
Rivers also explained what quarantine monitoring typically looks like for those under observation. “Quarantine is a time-honored strategy for ending chains of transmission,” Rivers said. “People placed under quarantine have no contact with others. Generally, they check in with the health department via phone daily or twice daily to update on their symptoms or lack thereof.”
VDH says it will maintain communication with travelers, local health departments and federal partners and will continue to implement recommended public health actions. For more information, visit vdh.virginia.gov/hantavirus.
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