Hantavirus-Exposed Cruise Ship Passengers Released from Nebraska Quarantine as Monitoring Continues

Release from Quarantine

While thirteen people remain at the Nebraska Quarantine Unit, five people have returned home to complete their monitoring. All people remain symptom-free and have met the criteria established by public health officials to safely continue monitoring at home. After being released from Nebraska quarantine, passengers will be monitored by local health officials through June 22.

Outbreak Overview

The CDC, in coordination with state and federal partners, repatriated 18 people who were potentially exposed to hantavirus on the M/V Hondius cruise ship in May 2026. They were flown to the Nebraska Quarantine Unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center for a 42-day public health monitoring period. The type of hantavirus responsible for this outbreak is the Andes virus, which can lead to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). HPS is a severe and potentially deadly disease that affects the lungs.

Continuing Surveillance

Several U.S. passengers disembarked from the cruise ship and returned to the United States before the outbreak was identified. These passengers are being monitored by their state and local health departments. The CDC continues to work with health departments to ensure all exposed passengers receive appropriate monitoring and medical evaluation.

Public Health Coordination

This multi-country hantavirus cluster represents an unusual outbreak pattern, as hantavirus infection is typically associated with rodent exposure rather than human-to-human transmission or cruise ship environments. The successful coordination between international partners and U.S. health agencies demonstrates rapid response protocols to emerging infectious disease threats from international travel.