Hantavirus: 2 patients arrive in Atlanta, 15 in Nebraska
High-stakes medical protocols are in effect Monday as the domestic phase of the MV Hondius hantavirus outbreak begins. While two passengers have landed in Georgia, Emory University Hospital—one of the nation’s premier centers for infectious disease—is on high alert as potential patients are transported for specialized care. Kaitlynn Pratt was live outside Emory, where the Serious Communicable Diseases Unit is prepared to handle the unique challenges of the virus strain. Other American passengers who were evacuated from the ship in Tenerife arrived at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) in Omaha. Spanish Health Minister Mónica García confirmed that the remaining passengers slated for repatriation will be flown to the Netherlands this afternoon on a single aircraft. The update comes as health authorities confirm new positive cases among those who were recently evacuated, intensifying the scrutiny on the rare Andes virus strain.
ATLANTA – Passengers from the M/V Hondius cruise ship are continuing to make their way home following a deadly hantavirus outbreak tied to the vessel, with several travelers connected to Georgia now under medical monitoring.
PREVIOUS STORY: 17 Americans on cruise ship struck by hantavirus return to U.S.
Georgia connections to Hantavirus cruise ship
What we know:
The Georgia Department of Public Health previously confirmed that two Georgia residents who were aboard the cruise ship have already returned to the state. Health officials said both individuals are asymptomatic and are following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
PREVIOUS STORY: 2 Georgians under monitoring after deadly ship outbreak
2 new patients arrive in Atlanta
What we know:
Two additional passengers who have reportedly tested positive for hantavirus arrived at approximately 9 a.m. Monday morning at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport aboard a special flight from Omaha, Nebraska.
SKYFOX flew near the airport and was able to observe two people being assisted from the airplane to ambulances from Grady University Hospital waiting below.
The patients were transported to Emory University Hospital on Clifton Road. The SKYFOX crew flew overhead as the patients were unloaded from the hospital and taken inside.
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Nebraska health officials confirmed during an early-morning news conference that two people from the cruise were being transported to Atlanta.
The Georgia Department of Public Health also confirmed that two patients were sent to Emory to be treated at their Serious Communicable Diseases Unit.
Georgia’s DPH also said that federal healthcare workers are taking every precaution needed in each of these cases and there is no danger to the public at this time. They said they are in active communication with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which is located next to Emory University Hospital, and will continue to do so as needed.
Emory University Hospital later sent the following statement:
Working in coordination with local, state and federal partners, Emory University Hospital’s Serious Communicable Diseases Unit has received two passengers from the MV Hondius cruise ship following a hantavirus outbreak onboard.
One symptomatic individual is receiving care in Emory’s biocontainment unit, and one asymptomatic individual—identified as a close contact—is undergoing evaluation and monitoring.
Emory University Hospital is part of the Regional Emerging Special Pathogen Treatment Center network within the federally supported National Special Pathogen System, which provides specialized capabilities for safely managing high-consequence infectious diseases.
We will provide additional details as appropriate.
More than a dozen Americans on the ship
The backstory:
The outbreak aboard the M/V Hondius has drawn international attention after multiple passengers became ill. Health officials say the outbreak is linked to the Andes strain of hantavirus, which can spread person-to-person in rare cases.
Federal health officials said more than a dozen Americans were flown overnight to a national quarantine unit in Omaha. At least one passenger reportedly developed mild symptoms during the trip, while another tested mildly positive for the virus.
The outbreak has been tied to a birdwatching excursion in Argentina before the cruise departed. Investigators believe exposure to infected rodent droppings may have triggered the initial infection before the virus spread among passengers onboard.
What they’re saying:
The World Health Organization is recommending 42 days of active monitoring for passengers returning to their home countries. Health officials continue to stress that the risk to the general public remains low.
What we don’t know:
Authorities have not released additional details about the two patients arriving in Georgia.
This is a developing news story. Information above is subject to change. Check back for developments.