June 9 (Reuters) – Three passengers from the hantavirus-affected MV Hondius cruise ship have returned to their home states in the U.S. after four weeks of monitoring at the National Quarantine Unit, the University of Nebraska Medical Center said on Tuesday, while 10 others remain under observation in Omaha.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had requested that the individuals linked to the cruise ship remain at the quarantine unit through May 31.
Here are some details:
• Eight of the former passengers have now left the facility, among them five U.S. residents who returned home last week after monitoring.
• UNMC said the three passengers will continue to be monitored for the next two weeks under the jurisdiction of their local and state public health departments.
• The passengers were among the 18 U.S. residents who were on the ship and were placed under quarantine before the hantavirus outbreak was identified.
• Travel for those leaving was coordinated through the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) in coordination with local and state authorities.
• The individuals did not travel commercially, and biocontainment measures were in place during transport, officials said.
• The CDC is also coordinating with impacted states to ensure the passengers continue self-monitoring once they return home.
• Because hantavirus symptoms can take up to 42 days to appear, all 18 passengers had been encouraged to complete the full monitoring period at the facility.
(Reporting by Siddhi Mahatole in Bengaluru; Editing by Devika Syamnath)
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