90-Second Read: Americans exposed to Hantavirus remain in quarantine as testing and monitoring for symptoms continue

David Fitter, incident manager for the agency's Hantavirus response, said they're still in the process of interviewing each of the passengers to determine how closely they were exposed to the Andes Hantavirus while on board the cruise ship. A CDC lab in Atlanta is now analyzing a blood sample taken from a second passenger in the National Quarantine Center in Omaha, Nebraska, after an initial test showed a "mildly positive" result for the Andes Hantavirus. For now, the CDC recommends testing only for people who have been exposed to Hantavirus and are having symptoms. At a briefing Wednesday, the CDC said it is encouraging the passengers to stay in the quarantine until the end of the 42-day incubation period, which started on May 11, the day they disembarked from the cruise ship.

As of Wednesday, 11 Hantavirus cases have been reported worldwide, with eight cases confirmed. All of the cases involve the Andes strain of Hantavirus, the only strain known to be able to pass from person to person. Large outbreaks are extremely rare; just 2% to 5% of all Andes cases are estimated to stem from person-to-person transmission. Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.

Currently, there are no state or federal quarantine orders that have been drawn. One who had symptoms and was sent to Emory University Hospital in Atlanta has tested negative. Three people from the cruise died, including a Dutch couple who health officials believe were exposed to the virus while visiting South America. Most people with Hantavirus, including the Andes strain, become infected after having breathed in or otherwise ingested particles from the urine or droppings from rodents that carry the virus.

In a positive development in Nebraska, one person from the cruise ship who was initially taken to the Biocontainment Unit has been cleared to move to quarantine instead, the University of Nebraska Medical Center said Wednesday. No Americans have had a conclusive positive test result. All were passengers or crew members on board the MV Hondius.