Oregon doctor on ship who helped care for passengers with hantavirus leaves medical isolation unit

Dr. Stephen Kornfeld, an oncologist from Bend, Oregon, has been released from Nebraska’s biocontainment unit after helping care for hantavirus patients on the cruise ship *MV Hondius*. Kornfeld was among 17 Americans evacuated from the ship and flown to the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, where he was the only one placed in isolation due to inconclusive nasal swab results from testing in the Netherlands. The hospital announced Kornfeld would join the other 15 Americans in the National Quarantine Unit after a new U.S. test confirmed he did not have hantavirus. Kornfeld previously reported flu-like symptoms—night sweats, chills, and fatigue—while on the ship but said he now feels ‘100%.’ The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed 11 hantavirus cases linked to the cruise, including three deaths, with eight lab-confirmed cases. The virus, typically spread through rodent droppings, is rarely transmitted between people, though the Andes variant detected on the *Hondius* may pose a limited risk. Health officials stress the general public’s risk remains low. Kornfeld described his isolation experience as surprisingly comfortable, with regular medical check-ins and access to communication tools. The WHO recommends 42 days of quarantine for exposed passengers and crew. Two additional Americans are under monitoring at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta. While there is no cure or vaccine for hantavirus, early detection improves survival rates. Public health authorities continue to emphasize containment measures to prevent further spread.