US ends its hantavirus response as quarantines expire and threat wanes

The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission. US ends its hantavirus response as quarantines expire and threat wanes 18 Americans had been placed under quarantine at a Nebraska medical center last month - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments America’s public health response to a deadly outbreak of rodent-borne hantavirus has ended, the Trump administration announced Wednesday. Some 18 Americans had been placed under quarantine at a Nebraska medical center upon returning from a Dutch cruise ship last month and seven Americans monitored symptoms at home. None remain under public health monitoring, the Department of Health and Human Services said. All passengers were observed for 42 days, which officials say is the incubation period for Andes virus, the only strain of hantavirus that spreads between humans. People exposed to the virus can start to show symptoms during that period. The department credited its own response for ensuring the virus did not spread in the U.S., including coordinating with foreign governments. No cases have occurred in the U.S. "HHS moved swiftly to identify potential exposures, support state and local health officials, and prepare our healthcare system to respond. As a result, no sustained transmission of hantavirus occurred in the United States, and the monitoring period has concluded with no individuals remaining under observation,” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., said in a statement. "Protecting the health and safety of the American people is our highest responsibility," he said. Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, acting director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, added that a “successful conclusion” shows the “strength of a coordinated response to infectious disease threats that occur outside of our borders.” “I am grateful for the world-class team at CDC whose dedication and swift action helped identify potential exposures, provide clear guidance, and protect the American people. As a result, we prevented any new cases from arising in the U.S.,” he said. But while the Trump administration has applauded its response, not everyone has been happy. Many passengers were forced into quarantining at Nebraska Medicine’s National Quarantine Unit for longer than they would have liked. Some even said they had received federal orders to ensure they did. “I’m held here involuntarily, so in that sense it’s a prison term, I mean, it’s a perfectly nice prison, but I’m still here involuntarily,” an anonymous passenger told NBC News in May. Coordinating with states to get patients home to monitor met with some snags. Florida wouldn’t agree to monitor passenger Angela Perryman, 47, around the clock if she returned home, so Perryman had to stay in Nebraska for 42 days along with the seven others who remained there voluntarily. The other ten people at the facility were allowed to leave earlier under an agreement that they would be closely monitored at home. Perryman called the six-week quarantine “a political stunt,” according to The Associated Press. She is considering litigation, The New York Times reported Sunday. Perryman was one of 152 passengers and crew onboard the MV Hondius, sailing from Ushuaia, Argentina, to Cape Verde, off the coast of western Africa. The journey started in March before the first passenger fell ill in April. It’s not yet clear how the outbreak started but three people died on the ship and 13 cases were reported, according to the World Health Organization. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said in May that the threat is “stable for now.” Hantavirus infections are caused by exposure to the contaminated urine, droppings or saliva of infected rodents. Early symptoms are flu-like but can lead to trouble breathing and fluid in the lungs. The mortality rate can reach up to 50 percent, depending on access to care. Fortunately, experts say the virus does not pass between humans easily and is not likely to cause the next global pandemic. “This is not the next Covid, but it is a serious infectious disease,” Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’s director of epidemic and pandemic preparedness and prevention, told The Associated Press. “Most people will never be exposed to this.” Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments [Image text:] SANIDA EXTERIO UM DESENFXIFE PKO