US coordinating flight for Americans aboard hantavirus-stricken cruise ship

The U.S. Department of State has arranged a repatriation flight for 17 Americans currently aboard the Dutch cruise ship *m/v Hondius*, which is battling a hantavirus outbreak. The passengers will return to the United States and be taken to the National Quarantine Unit at Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, according to health officials. The ship is scheduled to dock Sunday morning at the port of Granadilla in Tenerife, Canary Islands. Authorities report the situation on board remains calm, with guests and crew following medical team procedures. Oceanwide Expeditions, the cruise operator, confirmed the measures in a written statement. At least five U.S. state health departments are monitoring passengers who returned from the same ship in late April, with no reported cases of the rare but deadly Andes strain of hantavirus. Health officials emphasize that the incoming passengers will be quarantined until they are confirmed safe. A Dutch flight attendant who had brief contact with an infected passenger tested negative for hantavirus. Dr. Jennifer Nuzzo, director of the Pandemic Center at Brown University, highlighted concerns about potential exposure during transit rather than the repatriated passengers themselves. The incident has underscored gaps in U.S. public health preparedness, with a recent report by the Trust for America’s Health ranking only 20 states as fully prepared for emergencies. Dr. J. Nadine Gracia, CEO of TFAH, warned of strains on the federal health system amid upcoming large-scale events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup.