US health authorities announced Thursday that the American passenger on the cruise ship MV Hondius, initially considered positive for hantavirus, was ultimately negative after new tests conducted in the United States. This reassessment comes as several people remain under surveillance after the detected infection outbreak on board the ship.
The Nebraska Medical Center, where the man has been hospitalized since his repatriation, confirmed that the latest results ruled out any contamination. “Both tests, PCR and serology, are negative,” said Taylor Wilson, communications manager for the facility. US authorities had decided on Wednesday to perform new tests after initial results were deemed “inconclusive,” with one lab detecting a positive result while another concluded a negative test.
Currently no cases in the United States
According to Taylor Wilson, “we only received the results this morning.” The passenger, who showed no symptoms, has since left the biocontainment unit where he was placed upon arrival to join the facility hosting fifteen other repatriated Americans from the ship. Two other passengers evacuated this weekend are also hospitalized in Atlanta, Georgia.
During a press conference on Thursday, David Fitter, head of the hantavirus response at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), stated that “there are currently no cases in the United States.” He clarified that 41 people are still being monitored in connection with this issue related to the MV Hondius.
Exposed individuals in isolation for 42 days
These individuals include the 18 passengers recently repatriated to the United States, including an American-British citizen, as well as former passengers who left the ship before the outbreak was identified and several contacts. According to David Fitter, some may have been exposed while traveling, especially on flights where a symptomatic case was present, mentioning in particular the flight between Saint Helena and Johannesburg taken by a contaminated Dutch passenger, dated April 26.
