American passengers from hantavirus-hit cruise ship to stop at Nebraska facility before heading home. Here’s what we know

Seventeen American passengers from the MV Hondius cruise ship, where three people have died and others are sick from hantavirus, will disembark in Tenerife, Spain, before returning to the U.S. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will evaluate each passenger upon arrival, though none currently exhibit symptoms. The passengers will travel back to the U.S. on a charter aircraft equipped with a biocontainment unit, similar to those used during COVID-19 evacuations. Upon arrival, they will be taken to the National Quarantine Unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, the only federally funded facility of its kind in the country. The unit features 20 single-occupancy rooms with negative air pressure systems to contain infectious diseases. CDC officials clarify this is not a quarantine but a brief monitoring visit. Passengers will not be tested for hantavirus, as testing is not recommended for asymptomatic individuals. If symptoms develop, they could be transferred to the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit, which previously treated Ebola and early COVID-19 patients. Passengers deemed low-risk—those without contact with symptomatic individuals—may return home after assessment. CDC Acting Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya stated they will receive guidance on safe travel and monitoring options, including staying in Nebraska or returning home under state and local health oversight. After returning home, passengers will undergo daily monitoring for 42 days to track the virus’s incubation period. The CDC emphasizes this step ensures early detection if symptoms arise, while minimizing risk to others.