Recently, the passengers evacuated from the hantavirus-affected cruise ship began their journeys home on military and government planes Sunday after the vessel docked in the Canary Islands. One American tested positive for the virus, while a French traveler developed symptoms during their flight.
17 American passengers evacuated from hantavirus
One of the 17 American passengers evacuated from the MV Hondius tested positive but is not showing any symptoms, according to U.S. health officials on Sunday. Earlier, one of the five French passengers showed symptoms during their flight home, French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said. All placed in strict isolation and plans were made to test them.
Passengers left the MV Hondius after it arrived in Tenerife, the largest island in the Spanish archipelago off the coast of West Africa. Earlier, officials from the Spanish Health Ministry, the World Health Organization, and the cruise company Oceanwide Expeditions reported that none of the more than 140 people on board the Hondius had shown any symptoms of the virus.
Plane of passengers arrive in Omaha, Nebraska today
The plane carrying the Americans expected to arrive in Omaha, Nebraska, early Monday. Initially, they would go to the University of Nebraska, which has a federal quarantine facility. They assessed for close contact with symptomatic individuals and their risk of spreading the virus.
“One passenger taken to the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit upon arrival, while other passengers will go to the National Quarantine Unit for evaluation and monitoring. The passenger going to the Biocontainment Unit tested positive for the virus but has no symptoms,” said Kayla Thomas.
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