US passenger tests positive for hantavirus as 18 evacuate to America for quarantine

Hinzugefügt: 2026-05-16

[00:00:00]Breaking tonight, the virus outbreak aboard that cruise ship. 18 passengers now brought back to the US. And tonight, the news coming in here, at least one American passenger testing positive now for the Honda virus. Another showing mild symptoms. And tonight, the two states where those Americans have now been taken to quarantine. And for how long? Victor Kendo from Omaha, Nebraska tonight.

[00:00:21]>> Tonight, 18 passengers from that cruise ship at the center of the deadly haunt virus outbreak back on US soil. two in Atlanta's Emory University bioontainment unit and 16 at the University of Nebraska in Omaha where the first American to test positive for the virus has no symptoms but is now inside this special bioontainment unit. Another 15 passengers who have not tested positive in quarantine where they will be watched for any symptoms including three people from New York.

[00:00:49]>> Let me be crystal clear. The risk of haunt virus to the general public remains very very low. The Andes variant of this virus does not spread easily and it requires prolonged close contact with someone who is already symptomatic.

[00:01:05]>> In Atlanta, another passenger who develops symptoms on the flight home, arriving with their partner at Emery University Hospital.

[00:01:11]>> Passengers in the US will now be screened. Those without symptoms can choose to quarantine for the next 6 weeks or self-monitor at home, but officials said they won't be on airplanes. Once a patient is cleared, they're asymptomatic and they want to go back home. Will they be put on commercial flights?

[00:01:30]>> As far as I know, there is no plan for any commercial travel for any of these patients at this point.

[00:01:34]>> At least three people have died among 11 cases. The latest, a French and Spanish passenger from the ship. Today, health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the US government has been on top of the outbreak since day one.

[00:01:47]>> We have this under control and we're not worried about it. the president hopeful too.

[00:01:52]>> It seems like it is not uh easy to spread. In fact, it's in certain ways very hard to spread. It's been we've we've lived with it for years, many years, and we think we're in very good shape.

[00:02:06]>> But Dr. Ashish Jab, who coordinated the White House COVID response, is now concerned the virus may spread more easily than initially thought. We're just seeing emerging evidence, for instance, in conversations that several colleagues had with the doctor on the ship who said that at least three of the people who got infected, did not have close contact, and they may have had just casual contact, sitting next to somebody uh for half an hour at a meal.

[00:02:29]>> Which is why he believes everyone from the ship, including those who came home a few weeks ago, should be quarantined away from others.

[00:02:36]>> I understand it's inconvenient for people, but they just went through a harrowing experience on a boat. Uh I think uh a period of of quarantining and observing everybody very closely is the right way to go.

[00:02:48]>> Hont virus can kill up to 40% of patients. A week ago, Jake Rosemary, the first passenger to open up about his fear as that deadly outbreak was spreading.

[00:02:57]>> All we want right now is to feel safe to have clarity and to get home.

[00:03:03]>> Tonight, Jake sharing this update from quarantine, saying he's doing well, thanking his medical team in Omaha.

[00:03:09]David, we're outside the National Quarantine Unit in Omaha where these 16 passengers are being closely monitored.

[00:03:15]It was a harrowing journey as they were evacuated from the ship and flown straight home. Those inside the quarantine unit will be here for the next few days. Once clear and asymptomatic, they can return home.

[00:03:27]David, >> let's hope they're all okay here in the days ahead. Victor, thank you. We