Hantavirus live updates: CDC team will bring American cruise ship passengers back to quarantine unit

Teams will bring back Americans to the National Quarantine Unit in Nebraska.

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Last updated: Friday, May 8, 2026 6:18PM GMT
Stricken cruise ship heads for the Canaries as authorities rush to identify contacts

Global health authorities are working to contain an outbreak of hantavirus aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship.

The total number of confirmed cases associated with the outbreak is increasing, health officials said. To date, three people who were aboard the ship are known to have died of the virus.

More than 100 passengers remain on the ship, and the World Health Organization is monitoring their health. Officials said that the "overall public health risk remains low" but that there may be some person-to-person spread.

Health officials in multiple states say they're monitoring some passengers who have returned to the U.S. after being aboard the ship for potential hantavirus infections.

ByYouri Benadjaoud ABCNews logo
1 hour and 34 minutes ago

Nebraska quarantine unit says it's 'staffed and ready' to receive American passengers

The University of Nebraska, which hosts the quarantine facility the American cruise ship passengers are set to travel to, said the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Nebraska Medicine are "in close coordination with national partners" regarding the hantavirus cluster onboard the M/V Hondius.

"We cannot discuss specific communications at this time, but, our specialized teams, including the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit and National Quarantine Unit, are staffed and ready, if needed, to safely provide care while protecting our staff and the community," the statement read.

ByYouri Benadjaoud ABCNews logo
1 hour and 34 minutes ago

CDC personnel to meet Americans on hantavirus-stricken ship

An official at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed to ABC News that the agency will be dispatching personnel to the Canary Islands, where the M/V Hondius -- the cruise ship at the center of a suspected hantavirus cluster -- is scheduled to arrive on Sunday.

Teams will then escort those Americans to the National Quarantine Unit in Nebraska.

ByOthon Leyva ABCNews logo
1 hour and 34 minutes ago

WHO working to coordinate screening process for crew, passengers

Anais Legand, the technical officer with the World Health Organization, briefed the press Friday about the organization's efforts to screen the M/V Hondius' crew and passengers after the ship arrives in the Canary Islands.

Health teams will work with national authorities and each boat member will be assessed by trained medical staff, he said.

Epidemiologists will review individual exposure histories and interactions, according to Legand.

"So this is a way for us to get all the pieces together and have the maximum information to be able to assess any risk for this person and give them the right recommendation," he said.

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1 hour and 34 minutes ago

Which states are monitoring potential hantavirus

No U.S. residents have experienced any signs of illness as of Friday morning, according to health officials. However, six states are tracking nine residents for possible hantavirus infections.

States monitoring residents for hantavirus
States monitoring residents for hantavirus

Health officials in Texas, New Jersey and Georgia are monitoring two people while officials in California, Virginia and Arizona say they each are monitoring one person.