CDC Orders 18 MV Hondius Passengers to Stay Quarantined Through May 31
Updated
Updated · CNN International · May 19
CDC Orders 18 MV Hondius Passengers to Stay Quarantined Through May 31
14 articles · Updated · CNN International · May 19
Eighteen US passengers repatriated from the MV Hondius have been told to remain at Nebraska’s quarantine facility until May 31, with two placed under federal quarantine orders after new cases emerged in France, Spain and Canada.
May 31 marks 21 days after disembarkation, the period when Andes hantavirus infections are most likely to surface; experts say incubation averages about three weeks and can stretch to six, with the virus fatal in about 40% of cases.
US officials are monitoring 41 people, including cruise passengers and some airline contacts, but the CDC still does not recommend PCR testing before symptoms appear, a stance outside experts say could miss infections because patients may shed virus 5 to 10 days early.
That approach also leans heavily on voluntary isolation in the US and Britain, while France, Spain and some other countries have imposed mandatory quarantine and routine testing as exposed travelers from roughly two dozen countries disperse worldwide.
Could a traveler from the 'hantavirus cruise' spark an outbreak before they even feel sick?
A deadly hantavirus escaped a cruise ship. Is the US testing strategy creating a dangerous blind spot?
With nations split on quarantine and testing, can a fragmented global response contain a 40% fatal virus?
U.S. Federal Quarantine of MV Hondius Passengers: The 2026 Andes Hantavirus Outbreak and Its Global Public Health Impact
Overview
In May 2026, a hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship led to eighteen U.S. passengers being placed under federal quarantine in Omaha, Nebraska, after arriving from Spain. This rare use of federal isolation measures highlights the seriousness of the event. The CDC confirmed that, as of May 20, 2026, no cases of this specific hantavirus type have been found in the U.S. domestically. Quarantined individuals are housed in specialized facilities, and strict monitoring is in place to prevent further spread, reflecting a coordinated public health response to an unusual and urgent situation.