The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is monitoring 41 people in the United States for the Andes strain of hantavirus following a deadly outbreak on a cruise ship last month, officials said.
The hantavirus-stricken ship MV Hondius was on a trip from Argentina to the Antarctic and several isolated islands in the South Atlantic Ocean when the outbreak was identified in April. The World Health Organization said Wednesday that a total of 11 hantavirus cases linked to the cruise have been reported worldwide, including three deaths. Eight cases have been confirmed by laboratory tests.
The CDC said that 18 individuals are in quarantine in Nebraska and Atlanta after they were evacuated from the ship. Other people being monitored include passengers who returned to the U.S. after being on board the ship before the outbreak was detected, and those who may have been exposed to the virus during travel.
CDC officials said there are currently no hantavirus cases in the U.S., and the risk to the public remains low.
“Most people under monitoring are considered high-risk exposures, and CDC recommends that everyone under monitoring stay at home and avoid being around people during their 42-day monitoring period,” David Fitter, incident manager for the CDC’s hantavirus response, said on Thursday.
“We’ve emphasized not to travel. And across all these groups, our focus is ensuring appropriate health monitoring and quick access to care if needed.”
This is a developing story. More to follow.
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