Tracking the latest developments in the cruise ship hantavirus outbreak

Added: 2026-05-16

[00:00:00]The US is officially in an emergency response mode as health officials race to quarantine and contain any possible spread of the hantavirus. At least 17 Americans were on board a cruise ship now sailing to Spain's Canary Islands for isolation. CBS LA's Hunter Schwarz is here with a timeline to get those Americans home and everyone is watching this.

[00:00:20]>> I mean everyone's watching this and everybody's wondering what's next. So here, let's break it down for you. Some CDC staff are actually on their way as we speak to the Canary Islands and that's where they'll meet the cruise ship and those Americans will then begin their charter flight back to the United States to begin quarantine. Canary Island officials are not letting them dock in Tenerife, so that boat is going to have to anchor offshore.

[00:00:41]17 passengers on the virus-stricken cruise ship sailing closer to the Canary Islands where they'll be evacuated and flown here to Nebraska's national quarantine unit. Health officials reiterating so far no one has been diagnosed with hantavirus.

[00:00:56]>> Should they develop symptoms and uh, concerning for that diagnosis, we will definitely assess them and care for them uh, in the bio-containment unit. The president attempting to calm fears Friday. We have it. We're very good people looking at it. It seems to be okay.

[00:01:12]Uh, they know the virus very well.

[00:01:15]Fear is growing though on this Spanish-controlled island chain where the boat will arrive soon. Fear that history is repeating itself.

[00:01:22]>> I think uh, this is a second pandemic.

[00:01:26]And fear that no one here can stop what's coming. Spain's government gets final say over the islands. Prep is well underway. The crisis spiraled out here on the remote island of St. Helena where 30 passengers into the cruise early after the death of a passenger. The only known commercial flight out once a week to Johannesburg, South Africa connecting to nearly 100 destinations around the world. Now at least 12 countries are racing to track down anyone who may have been in contact with them. Ose ati >> passengers still stuck on the ship, approaching land means one step closer to home. The removal of passengers will happen between Sunday and Monday, a slow process to avoid the spread. Total incubation for the virus is 8 weeks.

[00:02:09]So, the removal of passengers It's going to start happening country by country once they're confirmed asymptomatic.

[00:02:15]Five small boats will take them to shore to a waiting bus and then directly to the airport runway and home. We know at least one California resident who disembarked from the cruise ship is under quarantine. Health officials not disclosing where that person lives exactly but say the risk to people here in California remains low. A lot to watch though right here with this route of a as we enter the next phase of this quarantine process.

[00:02:38]>> Yeah, an 8-week incubation, that's a long time to keep watching. All right, Hunter, thank you.