90-Second Read: Some Hantavirus-exposed cruise ship passengers return home to US to finish quarantine

Several Americans exposed to a rare strain of Hantavirus on board a cruise ship have returned home to finish their mandatory six-week quarantine. Both passengers have agreed and are required to remain at their residences, have no contact with other people, and participate in daily monitoring activities conducted by local health officials. Copyright © 2026, Radio New Zealand Six people, including one New Zealand citizen, who were on a cruise ship that was hit by the outbreak have had their quarantine period in Western Australia extended. Five passengers have been released from the National Quarantine Unit, which is overseen by the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

A sixth passenger was supposed to leave the Quarantine Unit on Monday, but their state has not agreed to the federal government's monitoring requirements, so they were required to remain at the facility. Public health monitoring is a precautionary measure designed to support the health of those potentially exposed and protect communities. A flight carrying a New Zealander on board the Hantavirus-stricken cruise ship has landed in an air force base in Perth. Thirteen others remain in the unit, although some will leave in the coming weeks to complete their monitoring at home, according to a statement from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC urged the public to avoid stigma directed at the people being monitored. CDC is grateful to the people who were affected and who recognized the importance of this public safety measure during this challenging time. Under protocols established to monitor their health and protect the community, a quarantine order is in place. One New Zealand citizen left the ship before the outbreak was revealed, while another disembarked on Monday and is now being quarantined in Australia.

Plans are in place to transport them to appropriate medical facilities in the unlikely event they develop symptoms or need any other medical care. At the Institut Pasteur de Dakar, scientists worked through the night, using sophisticated lab equipment and powerful computers to deliver results awaited by health officials worldwide.