Health authorities in the U.S. have implemented quarantine measures for two individuals who traveled on a cruise ship linked to a hantavirus outbreak. These individuals are currently under observation in a Nebraska hospital.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed that its acting director, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, signed the quarantine orders. Typically, these legal orders are rare and come into play when individuals do not comply with public health directives. Non-compliance can result in penalties including fines and imprisonment.
Currently, 18 passengers are being monitored at the Nebraska facility until May 31, as set by the CDC. Although Dr. David Fitter of the CDC noted that there are no confirmed hantavirus cases among these U.S. passengers, past outbreaks suggest symptoms can emerge up to 42 days after exposure. Jodie Guest from Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health underscores the need for this extended quarantine due to the lengthy incubation period.
The CDC has also reported three new hantavirus cases detected in France, Spain, and Canada following the disembarkation from the cruise ship. The World Health Organization recently stated there have been 11 cases directly linked to this cruise, with three fatalities. To date, laboratory tests have confirmed eight of these cases.
Hantaviruses are primarily spread through the inhalation of residue from infected rodent droppings. However, the strain implicated in this outbreak, known as the Andes virus, has shown the potential to transmit between humans under certain conditions, although such occurrences are rare. Despite this, public health officials consider the general risk from this outbreak to the wider population to be low.