King County health officials give update on hantavirus exposures | Full press conference

Hinzugefügt: 2026-05-12

[00:00:00]Good afternoon. I'm Dr. Sandra Valenciano. You're also welcome to call me Dr. V. I'm the health officer and acting director for public health Seattle and King County. I'm here to provide you with an update on some recent developments in King County.

[00:00:15]Washington State Department of Health and CDC informed us on Sunday, May 10th, of two King County residents who were exposed to the haunt virus linked to the international cruise ship that many of you have heard about in the news.

[00:00:28]Yesterday, we were able to confirm that the individuals were potentially exposed. Our two residents were not on the cruise ship, but they were sitting near an ill cruise ship passenger who was removed from a flight before takeoff in South Africa. The individuals are currently feeling well and they are undergoing symptom monitoring which includes daily temperature checks and regular communication with our public health team. Even though they were identified as contacts, they are not considered contagious because they currently do not have symptoms. We are checking in with them regularly.

[00:01:05]In addition, yesterday, May 11th, we were informed about a third King County resident who was a passenger on the MV Hondas cruise ship. This resident is also feeling well and is being monitored for symptoms along with other American passengers at the National Quarantine Center at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. We do not know at this time when they will return to King County. I want to reiterate that there are currently no cases of the virus in King County and the risk to the public remains low. H virus is rare but can cause severe illness. It primarily spreads from contact with rodents, especially when people are exposed to their urine, droppings, and saliva. The type of haunt virus found in the United States does not spread from person to person. But the kind of haunt virus that spread on the cruise ship, known as Andes virus, can spread person to person through prolonged close contact. That's why we're monitoring the travelers who returned. This is a deadly virus. So I can certainly understand why it may be a fear inducing situation. And I know for many of us it may bring back memories from the CO 19 pandemic. But it's also quite different than what happened with CO 19. When CO 19 emerged, it was a novel virus, one that had not been seen before and there was so much we did not know. In contrast, we have decades of information about HANA virus since disease surveillance began in the 1990s.

[00:02:45]We are continuing to work with the Washington Department of Health and CDC to monitor the situation. I will stop there and welcome any questions.

[00:02:57]>> Thank you so much, Dr. V. Uh if you can raise your hand and then uh you can come on off mute. Um, so and and please introduce yourself and your news outlet.

[00:03:08]That would be helpful. So, um, yes, we can start with Elise. Uh, Taco Hama, if you can come off mute and go ahead and ask your question.

[00:03:17]Hey, this is Ely from the Seattle Times.

[00:03:20]Thanks so much for doing this. Um, wondering uh, if Dr. Valenciano, you can speak about what measures are in place specifically um, to the residents who are possibly exposed. Do they have to isolate for a certain amount of time?

[00:03:36]And can you elaborate on on what you mean by public health uh monitoring these residents?

[00:03:42]>> Absolutely. So, the two individuals are very cooperative and they're following our public health protocols. This includes limiting any activities outside of the home to those that are essential and wearing a well-fitting respirator or mask when they do. Uh the protocols include daily temperature checks, assessment for any symptoms consistent with honto virus and responding to public health monitoring on a daily basis. And the individuals from the flight will be monitored through their full exposure period through June 6, 2026.

[00:04:20]the individual who was on the cruise ship will be monitored for a longer period of time, but we don't know quite yet um because we're not sure when they will return to King County or whether whether they will stay at the Nebraska facility.

[00:04:37]>> Thanks so much, Dr. V. Um I see a question from a uh Mo, it looks like uh Tilly, if you want to go ahead.

[00:04:46]>> Sorry, that's Maline Otley. I'm with Chairo 7. Thank you.

[00:04:50]>> You know, as we look at our our tourism season here in Seattle, cruise ship season is in full swing. We are weeks away from these World Cup matches. What is the plan as we prepare to welcome an influx of people coming into our region?

[00:05:03]>> Uh, thanks for the question. So, the CDC's vessel sanitation unit is actually responsible for cruise ships that are visiting any United States ports and they have systems for monitoring ill passengers and any potential outbreaks during this time. Um, in terms of our FIFA World Cup preparedness, public health, Seattle King County has been preparing for FIFA World Cup for over a year. Um, and we have a number of things that we will be doing. We have really strong surveillance in place here in King County. Um we'll be working with the Washington Department of Health as well as with our other local health jurisdictions and all of our health care systems. Um our we're very lucky that we have the Northwest Healthcare Response Network which is a very strong um organization that brings together all of our health care systems. Uh so we have a lot of things in place where we'll be monitoring for a variety of things and surveilling you know a number of other potential diseases that could occur during World Cup like measles.

[00:06:12]>> Thank you so much. Uh Martha, do you want to go ahead?

[00:06:16]>> Yeah, Martha Bell with the Associated Press. Um, I wonder doctor if you could clarify a little bit or explain a little bit how the person who was infected got off the the ship and got on an airplane in South Africa that expo did it exposed everybody on that airplane. I mean, how did that happen or do you know?

[00:06:38]>> Thanks for the question. I don't have the specific details about that particular ill passenger. Um, you know, the WHO is handling the specifics of that investigation.

[00:06:52]Uh, what we do know is that the passen the ill passenger was on the plane for about an hour uh before they were removed from the plane before it took off. Uh what we don't know is in terms of our two King County residents, we don't know how long our two King County residents were on the plane at the same time as the ill passenger. Um so we don't know, we just know the duration of time the ill passenger was on the plane.

[00:07:22]What we also know is that the two uh King County residents were within two seats from the ill passenger, which is why they're considered um potentially exposed individuals and why we will be monitoring them through June 6. Um it it it's up to uh the CDC and who to determine of all the passengers on the plane who are considered as higher risk contacts versus uh lowrisisk contacts.

[00:07:57]>> Thanks. Um it looks like Maline, you might have a follow-up question.

[00:08:00]>> I do. I actually just have two more really quick ones. I'm sorry. I hope I'm not taking anyone else's time, but um I just wanted some clarification first on those two passengers who were on the plane. are they connected same household and where exactly do they live in King County? And then just one other quick question. Um we obviously had some cases here back in 2017. If you could just explain how um this virus, this strain, how contagious it is might be different or similar to those cases we saw back then.

[00:08:30]Are you referring to cases in 2017 in Washington state?

[00:08:33]>> Yes, that's correct.

[00:08:35]>> Okay, thanks. Um so I'll just share that the three individuals that we are aware of are all adults. Uh we are not sharing any additional information at this time in terms of you know where they reside within King County to protect patient privacy. Um and then in terms of previous cases here in Washington state.

[00:08:57]So the haunt virus that um we see in the United States is a different kind of haunt virus. Um well there are different kinds but here in Washington state we see a type of haunt virus that is called senomere um that does not spread from person to person. Uh we have had about six cases in King County since 1997.

[00:09:22]Um and that type of haunt virus is carried only by deer mice. Um these mice typically nest in homes, garages, outuildings, sheds, cabins, barns, etc. Uh so the chance of being exposed to haunt virus and this particular type of haunt virus the synumbre haunt virus is greatest when people are in enclosed spaces where rodents are actively living or if they you know might clean up an area where there were rodent droppings.

[00:09:53]Um so very different from the type of haunt virus that was identified on the cruise ship.

[00:10:06]Great. Are there um other questions? It looks like uh maybe a followup from you, Elise. Go ahead.

[00:10:13]>> Yeah, thanks so much. Um Dr. Valenciano, did did you say sorry if I missed this, when was that flight from South Africa?

[00:10:22]>> Um sure. Uh I believe and I will we will make sure to follow with you. I believe that they arrived back on April 26. I believe the flight took off on April 25th, arrived on April 26.

[00:10:45]>> Got it. Okay. Thanks. And then, um, sorry, just one other quick one. Um, okay. Sorry, I'll make you quick. Um, as as a public health expert, what what do you think about the fact that there was this protocol that more than two dozen people got off the ship without contact tracing last month?

[00:11:04]Um, well, um, I, you know, I think that of course the the situation on the cruise ship had not been officially identified, right, um, before some of the passengers disembarked. Um but it does seem like from what I have seen and read from who's communication that once um information was reported to the WHO, they moved very quickly to identify you know passengers that had disembarked and any potential exposures um to notifying them about what had transpired. Um so I think you know what's important here is understanding that um diseases and viruses know no borders and it's why it's so important for there to be this cross collaboration uh with national partners and international partners like the WHO to making sure that we are keeping people safe.

[00:12:08]>> Great. U Martha.

[00:12:11]>> Yeah. Was this a direct flight from from South Africa to Seattle? Was it >> Yes. My understanding it was from Johannesburg to Seattle. I do not believe there was a stop. Um but again the ill passenger uh did not remain for the entire flight. They were removed prior to takeoff.

[00:12:36]And I'm seeing a a question about uh in in the chat, do you know Dr. V when the two passengers on the plane were notified that they may have been exposed after the flight?

[00:12:48]>> Uh yes, great question. So again, we were notified by uh the Washington Department of Health just this past Sunday um at that about these two passengers who are King County residents and um at the time our team moved very quickly to uh contact these individuals.

[00:13:08]We were not able to make contact with them on Sunday um but reach were able to reach them yesterday morning so that we could begin a full investigation um and gather more information from them. So that is when we were able to confirm that yes they were in fact on the flight. Yes they were in fact on their in their assigned seats um and began the monitoring as of yesterday.

[00:13:39]Yeah, Meline, just a follow up on the question I previously asked. Um, I know you're not revealing any identifying information about these three adults, but are you able to confirm if those two King County residents seated near each other on the plane are in the same household or are they in separate households?

[00:13:58]>> They are in the same household.

[00:14:05]Yes, Martha. Hi.

[00:14:07]>> I'm sorry to keep drilling down on this, but um so they were it would if it was direct flight to Seattle, it would be assumed that there were are the other people who were on the plane sitting near within a few seats or a few rows of this person who was um who was identified as as having the virus. Um, are there other people who are not from King County who are have also been identified? So, it could be dozens of people.

[00:14:37]>> That's a great question and actually I don't know the answer to that question because we were only notified about King County residents.

[00:14:54]Great. I'm just looking to see if there are any last questions.

[00:14:58]Uh yes, I see something in the chat. And I I did want to also let everybody know um that I just filmed a uh social media video that we will be putting out on social media. Um and right after this, I will actually also be filming that same video in Spanish um that we will be putting out as well about the current situation.

[00:15:24]>> Wonderful. Any last comments? Um, oh, it looks like we have one more a couple more questions coming in. Thanks, Rafael.

[00:15:34]Um, at this time, no, there is no additional contact tracing that needs to take place.

[00:15:45]>> Great.

[00:15:46]>> Any uh last comment from you, Dr. B?

[00:15:51]Uh I think the only thing is just thank you all for joining today. I really appreciate it. Um I was hoping not to have to do multiple separate interviews.

[00:16:01]So thank you all for for joining me today. You know our goal was to get as much information as quickly as possible and to share it with all of you uh so that you were all aware and of course our community is aware. Um this is also why we're posting the videos on social media. Um you know again we moved very quickly as soon as we received information and um we didn't not we did not want to share anything yesterday because I would not have had any answers for you. Um so I appreciate you all for taking the time today and appreciate you all for sharing credible information with our community.

[00:16:46]>> Thank you so much. Uh appreciate you all and um we'll continue to provide any updates if we get any new information.

[00:16:55]Thanks again.

[00:16:57]>> Thank you everyone.