Americans passengers aboard a cruise ship with multiple hantavirus patients will fly to Omaha for treatment and monitoring, Nebraska Medicine confirmed.
The passengers will be monitored at the National Quarantine Unit on the campus of Nebraska Medicine and UNMC.
Passengers under observation have not shown signs of illness, according to Nebraska Medicine. Once in Omaha, staff closely monitor them during the virus incubation period.
“We are prepared for situations exactly like this,” said Michael Ash, MD, CEO of Nebraska Medicine. “Our teams have trained for decades alongside federal and state partners to make sure we can safely provide care while protecting our staff and the broader community. We are proud to support this national effort.”
The World Health Organization has identified the hantavirus strain on the ship as the Andes version, which is rare.
In 2014, Nebraska Medicine and UNMC treated patients of the Ebola outbreak, and some of the first covid patients in 2020.
“We are honored to once more serve fellow Americans with the world class resources of UNMC and Nebraska Medicine,” said Jeffrey P. Gold, MD, president of the University of Nebraska. “Our extensive experience with high consequence infectious diseases over the past decade is the foundation of confidence in our willingness to once more provide these critical services to the nation.”
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