90-Second Read: All 17 Americans aboard Hantavirus cruise ship will quarantine in Nebraska. Here's why.

Seventeen Americans evacuated from a cruise ship linked to a deadly Hantavirus outbreak will be quarantined and monitored in Nebraska, officials said. The Americans were aboard the Dutch-flagged cruise ship MV Hondius, which has been linked to an outbreak of the rare Andes strain of Hantavirus. It was later used in 2020 to quarantine evacuees from Wuhan, China, and passengers from the Diamond Princess cruise ship during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Three people connected to the outbreak have died, and several passengers who left the ship have tested positive for the virus. The World Health Organization has said the overall public health risk remains low, but the Andes strain is notable because it can spread person-to-person in rare cases involving close contact.

The cruise ship, carrying more than 140 passengers and crew, is expected to dock in Tenerife in Spain's Canary Islands. Nebraska is home to the country's only federally funded quarantine unit specifically designed to monitor people exposed to high-consequence infectious diseases. Hantavirus is most commonly spread through contact with infected rodent droppings. Officials said the individuals currently have no symptoms. Officials said the facility's staff regularly train for outbreaks and infectious disease emergencies.

The National Quarantine Unit includes 20 negative-pressure rooms intended to safely isolate patients while preventing any exposure to the public. The Omaha-based facility gained national attention in 2014 after treating Americans infected with Ebola. We are proud to support this national effort." Officials stressed there is no risk to the public from the quarantine operation. There is no risk to the community from people being cared for in these units." Symptoms can appear between one and eight weeks after exposure and may include fever, muscle aches and breathing problems. Transmission between humans are rare, though possible, through the Andes variant.

Nebraska Medicine also operates the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit, a specialized treatment center for patients who become seriously ill. People should know these facilities were specifically designed to prevent exposure to the public. We understand situations like this can raise questions," Dr.