Emory takes in 2 passengers from cruise in deadly hantavirus outbreak

Two passengers who disembarked from a cruise ship at the center of a deadly hantavirus outbreak have arrived in Atlanta, according to public health officials.

The patients were taken in for evaluation from the Serious Communicable Disease Unit, a spokeswoman for Emory said in a written statement.

One of the passengers showed symptoms of hantavirus and is receiving care in Emory’s biocontainment unit, the statement said. The other, who was identified only as a close contact, is being monitored.

The Georgia Department of Public Health said in a statement it is working with the CDC to monitor for changes.

“Federal healthcare workers are taking every precaution needed in each of these cases and there is no risk to the public at this time,” the statement read.

During a press conference, Gov. Brian Kemp said he’s confident in Emory’s ability to evaluate and care for the patients while limiting the risk to the public.

“We’re as prepared as any state in the country to do this,” he said. “And it’s just the right thing to do.”

Kemp’s office said he has been briefed by both federal and state partners.

Another 15 American passengers were repatriated from the MV Hondius cruise ship and taken to a biocontainment unit in Nebraska, officials said. They are being assessed by healthcare professionals and monitored for symptoms.

Hantavirus is a disease carried by rodents, including mice and rats, and can be spread by breathing in particles containing their urine or feces. In humans, it can cause fevers, gastrointestinal issues and ultimately respiratory issues, according to the World Health Organization.

Passengers aboard the MV Hondius first started showing symptoms of the virus in late April, and within weeks, three people died of the virus. The WHO has confirmed six cases total among the passengers, and two other cases are suspected.

State officials have maintained that the risk of the virus spreading is low and that cases are rare.

According to the CDC, 890 total cases were reported during a surveillance period that started in 1993. During that period, no cases were reported in Georgia. The CDC had not recorded any cases of hantavirus being spread from person-to-person in the U.S. through the end of their surveillance period in 2023.

Activities that put people at risk of being infected are typically cleaning up rats nests or mousetraps without gloves, being scratched by a rodent or working outside in areas where rodents are likely to live, according to the CDC.

While 40 strains of hantavirus are known, only one — the Andes strain — is known to spread between humans. The WHO confirmed the Andes strain was the strain of hantavirus found on board the ship.

The CDC activated its level 3 emergency protocols, the lowest emergency level, in response to the virus. At that level, the response effort is led by a CDC expert in the particular disease and their staff, rather than employing the agency’s Emergency Operations Center or jump-starting 24/7 response efforts.

The agency issued updated guidance about the Andes strain of the virus on Friday, noting that it generally spreads only to people in close contact with those infected with the virus.