CDC Quarantines 2 Cruise Passengers in Nebraska as Hantavirus Outbreak Reaches 11 Cases
Updated
Updated · The Associated Press · May 19
CDC Quarantines 2 Cruise Passengers in Nebraska as Hantavirus Outbreak Reaches 11 Cases
16 articles · Updated · The Associated Press · May 19
Two cruise passengers at a Nebraska hospital were placed under formal CDC quarantine orders Tuesday, a rare step that can carry fines or prison time if violated.
Eighteen U.S. passengers at the facility have been asked to remain through May 31 because hantavirus symptoms can take up to 42 days to appear, though officials said none has tested positive so far.
Three additional linked cases were identified after passengers left the ship — in France, Spain and Canada — bringing the outbreak tied to the MV Hondius to 11 cases.
The World Health Organization said the cluster includes three deaths and eight lab-confirmed infections; officials say the risk to the general public remains low.
What conditions on the cruise ship allowed this deadly hantavirus to achieve rare human-to-human transmission?
As a deadly virus spreads between humans, are current global health protocols enough to stop the next pandemic?
How will this rare federal quarantine order shape the future of U.S. public health authority and individual rights?
Tracking 41 Exposures: U.S. and International Lessons from the MV Hondius Andes Virus Outbreak
Overview
As of May 14, 2026, the United States is actively monitoring and responding to the Andes virus outbreak linked to an expedition ship. The CDC is leading efforts by providing technical guidance to public health authorities, while federal and state agencies work together to assess and manage exposures among American passengers. Currently, 41 people across the U.S. are under monitoring for hantavirus, but there are no confirmed cases from this outbreak. Some American passengers are quarantined in Nebraska and Georgia to prevent potential spread, showing a coordinated approach to protect public health and contain the virus.