At least some of the 18 American cruise ship passengers potentially exposed to the hantavirus will be allowed to leave a quarantine facility on Monday, after nearly three weeks in isolation.<\/p>\n
But federal officials have said that the passengers should remain at their homes and under constant surveillance by law enforcement or public health workers for another three weeks \u2014 an approach that greatly exceeds typical public health protocols.<\/p>\n
\u201cApparently the C.D.C. wants some kind of local guard or person to watch over the individual to ensure that they don\u2019t leave their home,\u201d said Steven Hyman, a lawyer representing two passengers who are New York residents, citing information provided by his clients.<\/p>\n
It appeared earlier this week that Mr. Hyman\u2019s clients might be prevented from leaving the National Quarantine Unit in Nebraska, the only federally funded facility of its kind. But late Friday, Dr. James McDonald, the New York health commissioner, said they would return home on a noncommercial flight, and could isolate in their residences until June 22.<\/p>\n
He did not address whether they would be subject to round-the-clock monitoring by state authorities.<\/p>\n
Federal health officials did not reply to questions about the release conditions, but the Department of Health and Human Services said that the \u201cC.D.C.\u2019s top priority has been the health and safety of the returned U.S. passengers and American communities.\u201d<\/p>\n
It remains unclear how many of the passengers will leave the Nebraska facility on Monday. At least some \u2014 including a third passenger from New York, according to Dr. McDonald \u2014 have expressed a desire to remain in the quarantine unit for the virus\u2019 full 42-day incubation period in case they develop symptoms. None have so far.<\/p>\n
The 18 passengers were among a group of Americans on a cruise ship that became the center of a global hantavirus outbreak this month. After being repatriated from the Canary Islands on May 11, they have been housed in federally funded facilities for observation, though none appear to have the disease.<\/p>\n
In a call on Wednesday evening, officials from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention initially asked states to post a law enforcement officer outside the passengers\u2019 homes if they left the facility, according to several people briefed on the details who were not authorized to speak publicly. The agency revised the plan, calling for 24\/7 monitoring by a health worker, after state officials raised questions about cost and authorization.<\/p>\n