OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – The CDC gave an update Wednesday afternoon on the cruise passengers brought to Nebraska Medicine in Omaha after they were exposed to hantavirus.
A plane carrying 18 Americans exposed to hantavirus on a cruise ship in Spain arrived at Eppley Airfield just before 2:30 a.m. Monday.
Members of the CDC said the one passenger who tested positive later tested negative for hantavirus, so their status for the virus now been classified as “inconclusive.†That passenger is being retested, and the results are expected back “in a day or so.â€
No quarantine order
According to the CDC, passengers were not placed under quarantine upon their arrival at the UNMC-Nebraska Medicine campus. Instead, they’ve been monitored and assessed for a shorter stay, then will likely go home for a self-monitoring period of 42 days.
They clarified that there are no state or federal quarantine orders, and the CDC is working with contacts to make sure they know how to monitor themselves. State and local health partners have been checking on the people exposed multiple times daily.
People in the UNMC facility are being encouraged to stay, but the CDC would not state if the people are required to stay in quarantine there.
Some U.S. citizens had left the Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius prior to the outbreak being detected and “may have gone home on commercial flights.â€
Also, the CDC declined to specify how many people were exposed who are not in Nebraska or Atlanta, where CDC headquarters is located, for the sake of their privacy.
CDC response underway
The CDC said the agency activated an emergency response in Atlanta immediately and has more than 100 staff actively working on the response.
A CDC team was also deployed to the Canary Islands and spoke with each U.S. citizen about potential exposure.
Another team has come to Nebraska and was there when the plane landed with the 18 Americans. They have been conducting assessments and supporting the passengers.
The passengers have been housed in the National Quarantine Unit. According to Nebraska Medicine, this facility is the only federally funded quarantine unit in the United States, allowing for safe housing and monitoring of those who may have been exposed to high-consequence infectious diseases.
The unit has 20 300-square-foot rooms available that are fitted with negative air pressure systems to contain any possible viruses.
UNMC’s interim chancellor said Monday that each passenger’s exposure varies, and their team is ready to handle whatever gets thrown their way.
Watch a replay of the CDC update
—
Watch breaking news unfold on our livestream. Download the First Alert 6 streaming app to your TV or find us in your favorite streaming platform.
Copyright 2026 WOWT. All rights reserved.
