90-Second Read: Americans exposed to Hantavirus to arrive in Omaha overnight; one tests positive

A plane carrying 18 Americans exposed to Hantavirus on a cruise ship in Spain arrived at Eppley Airfield just before 2:30 a.m. The one American who tested positive but doesn't have symptoms is expected go straight to the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit, which is separate from the quarantine unit, where the rest of the exposed passengers will be treated as needed. The World Health Organization says six confirmed cases of Hantavirus and two suspected cases are linked to the outbreak on the ship. Just before 5 a.m., the medical vehicles pulled away from the plane and traveled to the Nebraska Medicine campus; however, the passengers were loaded from the plane to the shuttles away from view of news media.

This is not the first time Omaha has been the hub for containing the first cases of a virus. Another person possibly exposed to Ebola came to the med center in 2019. And in 2020, 13 Americans exposed to COVID-19 on a cruise ship docked in San Francisco were flown to Nebraska Medicine, some of the first Americans to be diagnosed with COVID. Medical crews were waiting for them at the airport, and moved close to the plane once it landed, remaining there for more than two hours.

First Alert 6 saw three shuttles come into Nebraska Medicine at about 5:15 a.m. There are 20 300-square-foot rooms fitted with negative air pressure systems that will contain any possible viruses. Before the flights started taking off, Spain officials stressed the public does not need to worry. Health officials want to remind the public that this disease is rare, and human to human transmission is more difficult as compared to COVID-19.

Instead, they'll be monitored and assessed for a shorter stay, then likely go home for a self-monitoring period. They have confirmed this issues that all the passengers are asymptomatic. UNMC's interim chancellor said each passenger's exposure varies, and their team is ready to handle whatever gets thrown their way.