90-Second Read: 7 states prepare to receive Americans possibly exposed to Hantavirus

The agency has classified the Hantavirus outbreak as a "level 3," which is the lowest level of concern. State health officials said it's up to the local health department to decide whether to test the Arizona resident for Hantavirus, but noted that any test results would likely be negative since the person is asymptomatic. The strain of Hantavirus involved in the cruise ship outbreak, known as the Andes strain, is the only version known to be transmissible between humans. As early as Sunday, global health authorities will help transport passengers still on board the ship — all of whom are currently asymptomatic — to their respective home countries. The passengers will have their vital signs monitored daily and have access to a team of health care workers, including infectious disease.

Since the start of April, six passengers on the Dutch-owned ship, known as the MV Hondius, have been confirmed to have infections and two more cases are suspected. Because the virus' incubation period can last up to six weeks, state and local health departments are watching for symptoms among the American passengers who disembarked on April 24. The monitoring will last for 42 days, starting when the person departed the ship, said Ken Komatsu, Arizona's state epidemiologist. For the time being, those individuals are not being told to isolate, since they have not developed symptoms. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday in a statement that it is sending a team of epidemiologists and medical professionals to the Canary Islands to meet the Americans on board, who will.

Infections are rare, but often deadly: The fatality rate in the Americas is up to 50%, according to the World Health Organization. The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) said Thursday in a statement that the two residents who were on board are monitoring themselves for symptoms with daily temperature checks and will contact public health officials at any sign of possible illness. If they develop any symptoms, they will contact public health and isolate. I don't believe asymptomatic spread in the home is a concern." Arizona state health officials said Thursday at a press briefing that the resident there who returned from the cruise is being monitored for symptoms and having their temperature checked daily as well. Health and Human Services Department and the government of Spain.

Three deaths have been reported: a Dutch husband and wife and a German woman. Local health authorities would also monitor household members and locate anyone outside the home whom the person had potentially exposed, the officials said. While many of these efforts are standard responses to an international health threat, some public health experts said it's unusual that the CDC has not held a public briefing on the outbreak yet. If the resident develops symptoms, state health officials said, they would likely be quarantined at home and be cautioned to not travel. Joel Tariquez, the Arizona medical director for preparedness.