# CDC: Hantavirus risk to public remains low despite cruise outbreak  
**Published:** 2026-05-13T23:08:12.000Z  
**Source:** [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/13/repub/risk-low-of-hantavirus-spread-cdc-officials-say/)  
**AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001)  
**Canonical:** https://lincolne.news/article/cdc-hantavirus-risk-to-public-remains-low-despite-cruise-outbreak

Federal health officials said Wednesday that the risk of hantavirus spreading to the general public remains low despite an outbreak that has killed three people and infected at least 11 passengers aboard a cruise ship.

Officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention addressed concerns during a briefing about the [MV Hondius cruise ship outbreak](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/13/repub/risk-low-of-hantavirus-spread-cdc-officials-say/), which originated during a voyage in South America. [The outbreak has infected 11 people with nine confirmed as hantavirus infections](https://www.the-scientist.com/hantavirus-cruise-ship-outbreak-what-we-know-so-far-74471), according to the latest counts.

Sixteen U.S. passengers who were aboard the ship were brought to [the National Quarantine Unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha](https://www.unmc.edu/newsroom/2026/05/11/cruise-ship-passengers-arrive-at-national-quarantine-unit/) for isolation and monitoring. Dr. Brendan Jackson, an epidemiologist with the CDC, said passengers are being evaluated for potential exposure to confirmed cases.

"This particular virus has a long incubation period, so the monitoring period is 42 days," Jackson said during the briefing. He noted that the 42-day monitoring period began May 11 when the ship departed the Canary Islands.

Jackson emphasized that cruise ship passengers who may have traveled on commercial flights were separate from those on the ship when the outbreak was detected. "All the passengers that were on the ship after that detection phase were transported just several days ago on a private plane directly from the Canary Islands to here in Omaha, Nebraska," he said.

[The virus responsible for the outbreak is the Andes strain of hantavirus, the only known human-to-human transmissible variety](https://www.the-scientist.com/hantavirus-cruise-ship-outbreak-what-we-know-so-far-74471). Unlike most hantaviruses, which primarily spread through contact with infected rodents, the Andes strain can spread between people through close contact. However, health officials said such transmission remains uncommon.

Dr. David Fitter, incident manager for the CDC's hantavirus response, sought to allay public concern. "At this moment I want to emphasize that the risk to the general public is low," he said.

CDC officials have been coordinating with state and federal health authorities to monitor anyone who may have been exposed outside the cruise ship. Two cruise ship passengers were taken to Emory University Hospital in Georgia for treatment, and authorities declined to disclose how many additional people are being monitored nationwide, citing privacy concerns.

The CDC has held briefings with lawmakers and conducted daily calls with state health officials as part of the response. While officials have encouraged those at the Nebraska facility to remain there throughout the quarantine period, no state or federal quarantine orders are currently in place.

## Sources

- [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/13/repub/risk-low-of-hantavirus-spread-cdc-officials-say/)
- [The Scientist - Hantavirus Cruise Ship Outbreak: What We Know So Far](https://www.the-scientist.com/hantavirus-cruise-ship-outbreak-what-we-know-so-far-74471)
- [UNMC Newsroom - Cruise ship passengers arrive at National Quarantine Unit](https://www.unmc.edu/newsroom/2026/05/11/cruise-ship-passengers-arrive-at-national-quarantine-unit/)

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This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from Nebraska Examiner, enriched with 3 web searches. The original source is available at https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/13/repub/risk-low-of-hantavirus-spread-cdc-officials-say/.