CENTRAL OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) – One passenger is being held in the Bio Containment Unit while 15 others are monitored in the National Quarantine Unit on the UNMC campus.
- 16 MV Hondius passengers arrived at UNMC Monday; one tested positive for hantavirus and is in the Bio Containment Unit.
- The remaining 15 passengers are being monitored in the National Quarantine Unit, the only federally funded unit of its kind in the U.S.
- This strain of hantavirus has a 42-day incubation period; none of the passengers are currently experiencing symptoms.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
16 passengers from the MV Hondius arrived at the University of Nebraska Medical Center campus early Monday morning. One passenger tested positive for hantavirus and is being held in the Bio Containment Unit. The remaining 15 passengers are being monitored in the National Quarantine Unit.
Medical experts say none of the passengers are currently experiencing symptoms, but staff will provide ongoing monitoring.
This strain of hantavirus has a 42-day incubation period, and it is possible the passengers could be asked to remain quarantined for that entire length of time.
Passengers will have access to exercise equipment and will be able to make calls to family and friends.
Angela Hewlett, medical director of the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit, described the quarantine facility.
"Our quarantine unit is designed for well individuals that need to be monitored, it is not a patient care space, it is much more like a hotel than a patient care space, we don't have the typical things you would see in a hospital room, it's much more comfortable," Hewlett said.
The 20-bed National Quarantine Unit is the only federally funded unit in the U.S. and is a part of the National Quarantine Center. The unit has expanded in recent years as it has received more national acclaim.
In 2018, the Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response awarded the facility a $20 million grant. That money has paid for the growth of facilities and programs.
Two units are now in the spotlight: the National Quarantine Unit, where healthcare providers complete quarterly training in specialized infection prevention, and the Bio Containment Unit, where infected patients receive care.
The Bio Containment Unit was activated in 2014 during the Ebola outbreak and was called upon again in 2020 for COVID-19.
Doctors say the passenger being held in the Bio Containment Unit is doing well and is not currently experiencing any symptoms despite the positive test.
Jeffrey Gold, president of the University of Nebraska System, addressed the precautions being taken.
"We can guarantee that every single precaution that can be taken to keep our communities and our staff healthy, and of course to keep these passengers healthy will be taken," Gold said.
Doctors say everyone at the facility will be there for at least a few more days. Each person will have a specialized monitoring and care plan that doctors develop based on their unique history and needs.
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