Nebraska University to treat US passengers from MV Hondius suspected of Hantavirus

NEW YORK, May 10. /TASS/. US nationals on board the MV Hondius cruise ship, where the Andes hantavirus outbreak occurred, will be examined in Nebraska upon their return to their homeland, the official website of the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) said in a statement. "Nebraska Medicine and the University of Nebraska Medical Center have been asked by federal partners to receive and monitor US citizens from the cruise ship associated with a hantavirus outbreak," the statement reads. "These individuals will be observed in the National Quarantine Unit, located on the campus of Nebraska Medical Center and UNMC," according to the statement. "At this time, the individuals being monitored are well with no symptoms of illness." Maria Van Kerkhove, an infectious disease epidemiologist with the World Health Organization, stated earlier that possible risks of hantavirus infection spread may be exaggerated following the outbreak of the Andes virus on board the MV Hondius vessel due to the extremely close media focus on this issue. The expert explained that the passengers of the MV Hondius pose a danger primarily to each other, as they may have had contact with those previously infected on board, but may not yet show symptoms of the disease. The World Health Organization reported eight confirmed hantavirus cases among people aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship. Three of those infected died. According to South African Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi, specialists identified the virus strain responsible for the deaths as the Andes strain, which can spread through close human contact. Three weeks ago, the Dutch-flagged vessel departed from Ushuaia, Argentina, on a cruise bound for the Canary Islands, Spain. About 150 people are on board, mostly citizens of the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, and the Netherlands. One Russian citizen is among the crew members. The ship made stops at several islands in the Atlantic Ocean. Earlier, authorities in Cape Verde refused to allow the vessel to enter the waters of the capital port of Praia, forcing it to remain anchored offshore for nearly three days. The MV Hondius left Cape Verdean waters on May 6 and is heading toward the Canary Islands. The ship is expected to dock at the port of Granadilla on the island of Tenerife in three days. Hantaviruses are a family of viruses that primarily infect small mammals but can also spread to humans. In severe cases, infected individuals may develop lung damage, heart failure, and hemorrhagic fever.