Health officials said Monday afternoon that three New York residents — including one from NYC — were aboard the MV Hondius, the luxury cruise ship at the center of a deadly hantavirus outbreak.
The three New Yorkers are among the 17 Americans now home in the United States after the final 28 people prepared to disembark the vessel in Tenerife, the Canary Islands, early Monday. All three touched down at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska and are expected to be subject to a 42-day monitoring period, state health department officials said.
“While the Department is working in close coordination with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and local health departments to gather information, at this point it is unclear how long they will stay in Nebraska and whether, or when those individuals intend to return to New York,” James McDonald, MD, health commissioner of the NYS Health Department, said. “We are closely monitoring the situation and working with the CDC and local health departments.”
Two of the New Yorkers being monitored are from Orange and Westchester Counties; it is unclear right now which part of NYC the third passenger is from.
The MV Hondius carried 147 passengers and crew from 23 countries. The 42-day quarantine period was recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). The hantavirus outbreak began on May 2, after the vessel departed southern Argentina 41 days ago.
As of May 8, a total of eight cases, including three deaths, have been reported, according to the WHO. The agency confirmed that the type of hantavirus responsible for the outbreak is the Andes virus, which can cause hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.
Hantavirus is spread from contact with rodents in areas where the disease is present, especially when exposed to their urine, droppings and saliva, according to the CDC. However, the Andes virus is the only hantavirus known to spread from person to person, typically through close contact with an infected individual, the agency said.
Meanwhile, health officials said the overall risk to travelers and the American public remains extremely low.
“At this point, it is important to emphasize that there is no immediate risk to the public,” McDonald said. “We will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as needed.”
City and state officials said they would continue to monitor the situation and keep New Yorkers informed.