US Official: Hantavirus Cruise Ship Evacuees May Not Require Mandatory Quarantine
A senior US health official stated that American passengers evacuated from a cruise ship with a deadly hantavirus outbreak may not necessarily require mandatory quarantine, emphasizing that this is not COVID-19.
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- 📰 Published: May 11, 2026 at 13:21
- 🔍 Collected: May 11, 2026 at 13:31 (10 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 11, 2026 at 22:54 (9h 22m after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency, Washington, 10th, comprehensive foreign wire report) A senior US health official said today that American passengers evacuated from a cruise ship with a deadly hantavirus outbreak may not necessarily need to be quarantined.
According to Agence France-Presse, Jay Bhattacharya, acting director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), also called on Americans to remain calm about hantavirus, stating: "This is not COVID."
The U.S. announced on the 8th that it would arrange charter flights to evacuate 17 Americans aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship. Three passengers on the ship have already died, and several others have been infected. The ship has now arrived in the Canary Islands, Spain.
Bhattacharya said in an interview with CNN's "State of the Union" program today that these American passengers are currently asymptomatic and will be sent to a specialized facility in Nebraska, but will not necessarily be quarantined there.
He said, "We will interview them and assess the risk... to confirm whether they have had close contact with symptomatic individuals."
The biodefense isolation unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center was activated before the passengers' arrival. Spokesperson Kayla Thomas stated that these passengers "are expected to arrive in Omaha early Monday morning."
Thomas said, "One of the passengers will be sent to the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit upon arrival" because the passenger "tested positive for the virus but is asymptomatic."
Thomas also said that the remaining passengers will go to a national quarantine unit for evaluation and monitoring.
Bhattacharya stated that after evaluation and based on the level of risk, passengers will be allowed to stay in Nebraska voluntarily or return home if family circumstances permit, and will be safely transported back, ensuring no contact with others during transit. (Translator: Chen Yu-ting) 1150511
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(Central News Agency, Washington, 10th, comprehensive foreign wire report) A senior US health official said today that American passengers evacuated from a cruise ship with a deadly hantavirus outbreak may not necessarily need to be quarantined.
According to Agence France-Presse, Jay Bhattacharya, acting director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), also called on Americans to remain calm about hantavirus, stating: "This is not COVID."
The U.S. announced on the 8th that it would arrange charter flights to evacuate 17 Americans aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship. Three passengers on the ship have already died, and several others have been infected. The ship has now arrived in the Canary Islands, Spain.
Bhattacharya said in an interview with CNN's "State of the Union" program today that these American passengers are currently asymptomatic and will be sent to a specialized facility in Nebraska, but will not necessarily be quarantined there.
He said, "We will interview them and assess the risk... to confirm whether they have had close contact with symptomatic individuals."
The biodefense isolation unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center was activated before the passengers' arrival. Spokesperson Kayla Thomas stated that these passengers "are expected to arrive in Omaha early Monday morning."
Thomas said, "One of the passengers will be sent to the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit upon arrival" because the passenger "tested positive for the virus but is asymptomatic."
Thomas also said that the remaining passengers will go to a national quarantine unit for evaluation and monitoring.
Bhattacharya stated that after evaluation and based on the level of risk, passengers will be allowed to stay in Nebraska voluntarily or return home if family circumstances permit, and will be safely transported back, ensuring no contact with others during transit. (Translator: Chen Yu-ting) 1150511
Choose to stand with the facts. Every sponsorship you provide is a force to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency 'First-hand News' APP to stay updated with the latest news.
The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or utilized without authorization.