90-Second Read: Americans exposed to Hantavirus on ship enjoy Nebraska hospitality while in quarantine

The 18 American passengers who were exposed to Hantavirus on the MV Hondius cruise ship are getting a taste of Nebraska hospitality as they wait to find out how much longer they will have to remain in quarantine at the hospital in Omaha. Three people from the cruise died, including a Dutch couple that health officials believe were the first exposed to the virus while visiting South America. University of Nebraska President Jeffrey Gold said the new cases will definitely be considered as public health officials decide how long the passengers have to quarantine, but the CDC is calling the shots on that period.

Elsewhere, a 12th illness linked to the ship was confirmed Friday in the Netherlands as health officials continue to monitor hundreds of people who were potentially exposed. Hantavirus usually spreads from rodent droppings and is not easily transmitted between people. But the Andes virus detected in the cruise ship outbreak may be able to spread between people in rare cases.

Wadman said that once the passengers realized how long they were going to be staying in quarantine, they started ordering things they needed because health officials let them bring only a small plastic sack of belongings with them when they left the MV Hondius. We continue to urge affected countries to monitor all passengers and crew carefully for the remainder of the quarantine period. Health officials recommended the long quarantine because of the incubation period for the virus.