Sofia Ramirez

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Democrat and Chronicle

90-Second Read: NJ residents monitored after possible Hantavirus exposure. What to know in NY

May 9, 12:27 PM EDT

Two New Jersey residents may have been exposed to a person infected with Hantavirus linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius, where a rare outbreak has killed three people, according to the New Jersey Department of Health. As of Friday, there also were no confirmed cases of Hantavirus in New York and no reports of New Yorkers being monitored for exposure. As of Friday afternoon, May 8, there were no confirmed Hantavirus cases in New York and no reports of New Yorkers being monitored for exposure. The New Jersey residents were not passengers on the cruise ship, and the potential exposure occurred during air travel abroad," the health department said in a news release Friday, May 8. As of Thursday, five people had confirmed Hantavirus cases and three others were.

France 24

90-Second Read: European nations dispatch planes to evacuate citizens from Hantavirus-hit cruise ship

May 9, 12:01 PM EDT

Germany, France, Belgium, Ireland, and the Netherlands will send planes to evacuate their citizens aboard the Tenerife-bound cruise ship hit by a deadly Hantavirus outbreak, Spain 's interior minister said ⁠in Madrid on Saturday. The luxury cruise ship MV Hondius left for Spain on Wednesday from the coast of Cape Verde after the WHO and European Union asked the country to manage the evacuation of passengers onboard after the Hantavirus outbreak was detected. Read more French couple on Hantavirus cruise ship says 'no panic onboard' Hantavirus is usually spread by rodents but can in rare cases be transmitted person-to-person. The European Union is sending two further planes for remaining European citizens, Fernando Grande-Marlaska added. The US and UK have confirmed planes and contingency plans were being arranged for non-EU citizens.

USA Today

90-Second Read: ‘We’re not just headlines’: Passengers on Hantavirus cruise ship speak

May 8, 8:57 PM EDT

With additional doctors now aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship and those with suspected or confirmed cases of Hantavirus evacuated, passenger Kasem Ibn Hattuta said he's feeling reassured. On May 3, the World Health Organization reported a Hantavirus outbreak aboard an expedition cruise operated by the Netherlands-based Oceanwide Expeditions. The WHO stresses the "limited" nature of the Hantavirus outbreak, adding that the public health risk is low. Everyone is keeping high spirit, people are smiling and taking the situation calmly." Some passengers are reportedly venturing out to the outer decks for walks and bird watching, he continued. On the morning of April 12, passengers were called to the launch area for an announcement of the Dutch passenger's death by the captain, which "was unusual" for the cruise's typical schedule, said.

NBC News

90-Second Read: 17 American passengers aboard Hantavirus-hit cruise ship will quarantine in Nebraska

May 8, 6:55 PM EDT

The 17 passengers will be received at the National Quarantine Unit, a secured facility on the University of Nebraska Medical Center campus in Omaha, said Dr. Cruise operator Oceanwide Expeditions said Friday that none of the passengers who remain aboard the Hondius have tested positive for Hantavirus or are showing symptoms. The WHO and health officials in numerous countries have stressed that the risk of the outbreak spreading to wider populations is low and that Hantavirus is only transmitted through close personal contact, unlike airborne diseases such as Covid-19. A team from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will meet the American passengers there, an agency official confirmed to NBC News. Six cases of the Andes Hantavirus have been confirmed and two cases are probable, the World Health Organization.

KRIS 6 News Corpus Christi

90-Second Read: Two Houston residents among those exposed during Atlantic cruise ship Hantavirus incident

May 8, 3:18 PM EDT

Houston health officials have implemented safety protocols for first responders handling any service calls involving the two passengers, who are currently monitoring themselves for symptoms. Two Texas residents who were passengers on the MV Hondius ship at the center of a deadly Hantavirus outbreak have been identified as Houston residents, according to city personnel, according to NBC News station KPRC. The confirmation comes as health officials worldwide continue tracking passengers who may have been exposed to the rare but potentially fatal virus during what has become an international health emergency. At least eight confirmed cases have been linked to the outbreak, including three deaths, according to the World Health Organization. The precautionary measures reflect the serious nature of the Andes strain of Hantavirus identified in this outbreak, which can spread.