The government of the United States (US) through the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has provided some update on the Hantavirus outbreak linked to M/V Hondius Cruise Ship.
The Update released on Friday 8 May, 2026 on the official website of the CDC says, the US government is “actively monitoring and responding to a hantavirus outbreak linked to the M/V Hondius cruise ship”.
The CDC said, currently, the hantavirus risk to the American public remains “extremely low”.
The US science-based, data-driven, service organization that protects the public’s health, made known, the infectious disease experts of the CDC have not stopped working closely with foreign partners to establish “consistent monitoring guidance”
The Update reveals: “CDC’s premier infectious disease experts are continuing to work closely with international partners to develop consistent monitoring guidance.
“This guidance will be distributed today, in addition to resources targeted for state and local health departments.”
The CDC further made known, the main focus of the US government is to safely repatriate American passengers, who are to be evacuated to Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha to be quarantined.
“The U.S. government’s top priority is the safe repatriation of American passengers. These individuals are planned to be evacuated on a U.S. government medical repatriation flight to Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska, where they will be transported to the National Quarantine Center at the University of Nebraska, Omaha”, according to the Update.
A team of epidemiologists and medical professionals deployed to the Canary Islands, where the M/V Hondius is expected to dock will carry out “an exposure risk assessment for each American passenger and provide recommendations for the level of monitoring required”.
The CDC said, an extra team will be deployed to Offutt Air Force Base to “support public health assessment of returning passengers”.
Photo: CDC Headquarters in Georgia State, US | CDC
