Washington keeps 41 people under surveillance for exposure to hantavirus
No cases have been confirmed in US territory, although the CDC activated a special follow-up operation
The health authorities of the United States are keeping 41 people under monitoring for possible exposure to the Andean hantavirus, after the outbreak detected on the expedition cruise ship MV Hondius, where at least three people died and several passengers were infected.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that, so far, no cases have been confirmed in U.S. territory, although the agency activated a special monitoring and preventive quarantine for people considered high-risk.
Given the outbreak, the CDC activated a “Level 3” emergency, the lowest level within its response scale, and deployed epidemiological teams in both Spain and the United States.
“The risk to the general public remains low,” said David Fitter, responsible for incident management of the CDC's hantavirus response.
According to health authorities, the 41 people under surveillance belong to three different groups. The first is made up of 18 American passengers evacuated from the Canary Islands and transferred to quarantine centers in Nebraska and Atlanta.
The second group includes passengers who abandoned the cruise before the outbreak was officially detected and returned to different states in the country. The third group corresponds to people who shared flights with symptomatic travelers from the ship.
One of the most delicate cases involves a passenger who travelled from the island of Santa Helena to Johannesburg while already p She was showing symptoms of the disease. Health authorities are tracking those who were close to her during the air journey.
“We are working closely with passengers and our public health partners to ensure rapid monitoring and access to medical care if they develop symptoms,” Fitter explained.
Initial symptoms include fever, muscle pain, tiredness,and general malaise, but in severe cases it can rapidly evolve towards-severe respiratory sufficiency. The estimated mortality rate is around 35%.
The World Health Organization confirmed at least 11 cases linked to the ship, including three deaths: a Dutch couple and a German citizen.