SouthernWorldwide.com – One of the American citizens evacuated from the MV Hondius cruise ship and brought back to the U.S. has tested positive for hantavirus, though they are asymptomatic. Another individual from the group has exhibited mild symptoms.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services confirmed these developments. They stated that due to an abundance of caution, these two Americans were placed in a biocontainment unit during their flight back to the United States.
Upon arrival, a convoy of emergency vehicles transported the 17 evacuated Americans to specialized facilities. These are the ASPR Regional Emerging Special Pathogen Treatment Centers (RESPTCs) located at the University of Nebraska Medical Center/Nebraska Medicine in Omaha.
HHS noted that each individual will undergo a thorough clinical assessment. They will then receive the appropriate care and support tailored to their specific condition.
The flight carrying the evacuated Americans landed early Monday morning. The news comes as three individuals have tragically died since the hantavirus outbreak began.
A post on Nebraska Medicine’s Facebook page from Sunday night provided further details. It stated that one passenger would be transferred to the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit. Other passengers would be moved to the National Quarantine Unit for assessment and monitoring.
The passenger heading to the Biocontainment Unit has tested positive for the virus but is not showing any symptoms. This individual was managed separately during transport, utilizing appropriate biocontainment measures. They will be closely monitored in the Biocontainment Unit as a precautionary measure, and follow-up testing will be conducted.
In a separate but related development, a French individual who was a passenger on the vessel has tested positive for hantavirus. Their health reportedly declined overnight while in the hospital, according to French Health Minister Stephanie Rist.
The French Health Minister mentioned that this individual was among the five French passengers repatriated on Sunday. Rist informed public broadcaster France-Inter that the woman began experiencing symptoms during her flight to Paris.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explains that Andes virus is a specific type of hantavirus. It is primarily spread by rodents in South America and, less frequently, by infected individuals.
Crucially, the rodents that carry the Andes virus have not been detected in the United States. This virus can lead to a severe respiratory illness in humans known as Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS).
The CDC further clarifies that the Andes virus is unique among hantaviruses because it is known to spread from person to person. This transmission typically occurs between individuals who have close contact.
Read more : SIM Swap Scam Empties Florida Woman's Bank Account
Such close contact can include direct physical interaction, spending extended periods in confined or enclosed spaces, and exposure to the bodily fluids of an infected person.
