Three New Yorkers who were passengers onboard the cruise ship that has been racked by a deadly hantavirus outbreak are now being held in Nebraska along with other American passengers, according to state health officials.
The virus that spread on the MV Hondius cruise ship, known as the Andes virus, is a form of hantavirus that can cause severe pulmonary disease, and three people tied to the outbreak have died so far, according to the World Health Organization. The final passengers were evacuated from the ship on Monday, Reuters reported.
One of the three New Yorkers who was on the ship is a New York City resident and the other two are residents of Orange and Westchester counties, respectively, Dr. James McDonald, the state health commissioner, said Monday.
"At this point, it is important to emphasize that there is no immediate risk to the public,” McDonald said in a statement. “We will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as needed."
The New Yorkers exposed to the virus are expected to be subject to a 42-day monitoring period, but McDonald said health officials are still gathering information on how long they will remain in Nebraska.
A total of 18 American passengers were on board the MV Hondius, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. HHS posted on X on Sunday that one American passenger on the ship had mild symptoms of the Andes virus and another tested “mildly” positive on a PCR test.
HHS said most of the American passengers were being airlifted from the ship to a Regional Emerging Special Pathogen Treatment Center at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Two of the passengers, including the one with mild symptoms, were being taken to a similar treatment center at Emory University in Atlanta, according to HHS.
The New Jersey Department of Health said Friday that two residents had been exposed to someone who was on the ship, but were not passengers themselves.
The Andes virus is the only type of hantavirus known to spread from person to person and symptoms can be severe, including aches, fever, gastrointestinal issues and trouble breathing, according to the CDC. But infectious disease experts say the Andes virus is not likely to cause widespread illness, since it doesn’t get transmitted easily.
Still, Gov. Kathy Hochul said Monday she has “activated” public health experts in the state to “start preparing New York for worst case scenarios,” just in case.
Hochul expressed doubts that the CDC is well-equipped to contain the virus should it spread. “I know that over a year ago there were significant cuts at the CDC as part of the Elon Musk DOGE cuts,” Hochul said during a press conference Monday, referring to the Department of Government Efficiency.
“I cannot, as governor, not be prepared for anything that could happen,” Hochul added.