U.S. Prepares for Possible Hantavirus Exposure Among Americans from Cruise Ship

On Sunday, the United States initiated an emergency health protocol to welcome American citizens who were aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship, which has been struck by a deadly outbreak of hantavirus. Since early April, the outbreak has resulted in three fatalities and at least six confirmed cases.

The ship docked in Tenerife, located in the Canary Islands, where roughly 150 remaining passengers, all without symptoms, were evacuated to a "completely isolated and cordoned-off" area of the industrial port of Granadilla de Abona. From there, they were transported in escorted vehicles to the local airport for repatriation.

At least 17 American nationals on board are set to fly to Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska. Upon arrival, they will be taken to the Nebraska Medical Center's National Quarantine Unit, the only federally funded quarantine facility in the U.S.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) dispatched a team of epidemiologists and medical professionals to the Canary Islands in a coordinated effort with the Department of Health and Human Services and the Spanish Government.

Meanwhile, at least eight American passengers who disembarked on April 24—prior to the confirmation of diagnoses—have already returned home and are under the scrutiny of health authorities across at least seven states.

The states of Georgia and Texas are monitoring two residents each; Virginia and Arizona are each tracking one resident; and California is keeping an eye on at least one resident who remained on board and another who has returned home. Virginia's health department has cautioned that "a small number (fewer than five) of other potentially exposed Virginians" might be identified in the coming days.

As none are showing symptoms, isolation has not been mandated. The CDC has activated its Emergency Operations Center in Atlanta at level 3, the lowest level of concern, and has assessed the risk to the general public as "extremely low."

The National Quarantine Unit in Nebraska is equipped with 20 single-occupancy rooms featuring negative air pressure, WiFi, and exercise equipment. The facility previously accommodated Ebola patients in 2014 and repatriated individuals from the Diamond Princess cruise ship during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We are prepared for situations exactly like this," stated Dr. Michael Ash, CEO of Nebraska Medicine. "Our teams have trained for decades alongside federal and state partners to ensure we can provide care safely while protecting our staff and the broader community."

The Andes strain of hantavirus is the only one among more than 20 known variants with documented person-to-person transmission, though it is restricted to prolonged and close contact, and has a mortality rate of up to 50% according to the World Health Organization. No specific antiviral treatment or approved vaccine exists.

The WHO has labeled this outbreak as the first documented instance of hantavirus on a cruise ship and has ruled out the risk of a pandemic. Public health experts note the unusual absence of a CDC press briefing and express concern about the U.S.'s impending exit from the WHO in January 2026, which could delay access to international health emergency information.

Given the virus's incubation period, which can last up to six weeks, state health authorities will continue active surveillance of passengers who have already returned home over the coming weeks.