The United States is dispatching an emergency aircraft to evacuate 17 American citizens still stranded aboard a cruise ship plagued by a hantavirus outbreak. The MV Hondius, a luxury vessel, has seen eight cases of hantavirus linked to the outbreak that began in early April while en route to the Canary Islands. Five infections have been confirmed, three are suspected, and three people have died, raising fears of a potential deadly outbreak.
Evacuation Plans Underway
The US is among several countries coordinating rescues for the nearly 140 passengers and crew trapped on the ill-fated ship. Evacuations are expected to begin between Sunday and Monday, in collaboration with the Spanish government, after the MV Hondius docks in Tenerife. Passengers will be tested for hantavirus and disembark country by country, boarding smaller boats in groups of five to reach the shore for the flight.
The State Department confirmed to CBS News that the plane is chartered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of Health and Human Services. The CDC announced Friday it will conduct its own exposure risk assessment for American passengers to determine the level of monitoring needed.
Quarantine and Medical Care
The Americans will land at Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha before transferring to the University of Nebraska Medical Center's state-of-the-art biocontainment unit. The CDC will also send a team to support the university. All travelers will be quarantined individually for the time being, according to Dr. Michael Wadman, medical director of the university's National Quarantine Unit. "Each individual will have their own room," Wadman said, adding that there is no standard quarantine period set. The rooms resemble hotel rooms with WiFi and exercise equipment to ensure comfort during prolonged quarantine.
The unit, opened in 2019 with a $20 million grant from the Department of Health and Human Services, previously treated Ebola patients and some of the first COVID-19 patients. Nebraska Medicine is one of the few US hospitals with specialized units for highly dangerous infectious diseases. "We are prepared for situations exactly like this," said Dr. Michael Ash, CEO of Nebraska Medicine.
Current Status of Passengers
As of Friday, none of the American passengers on the MV Hondius have shown symptoms of hantavirus. In interviews with the Associated Press, two Spanish passengers, speaking anonymously due to fears of ostracization, described relative tranquility aboard despite the outbreak. Some passengers are bird-watching, while others gather in common areas for reading or talks, wearing masks and practicing social distancing. Both expressed concern about how they will be treated in Spain and at home. "We're scared by all the news that's coming out, by how people are going to receive us," one said. "We're just normal people."
Broader Impact and Monitoring
Images of hazmat-suited medical workers airlifting gravely ill passengers earlier this week evoked memories of the COVID-19 pandemic's darkest days. Nine passengers who previously left the ship are now under home quarantine and being monitored, including Americans in six states: Arizona, California, Georgia, New Jersey, Texas, and Virginia. In a worrying development, a Spanish woman who was on the same flight as a passenger who later died has been hospitalized with a suspected infection. She was reportedly seated two rows behind the deceased and had only brief contact.
Hantavirus is typically spread by inhaling dust contaminated with rodent urine, saliva, or droppings. However, the Andes virus (ANDV) strain identified in this outbreak is unusual because limited person-to-person transmission has been documented. Most hantavirus infections cause mild flu-like symptoms or none, but some progress to Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), where the lungs fill with fluid, leading to severe breathing difficulties, low blood pressure, and potentially death. The CDC reports that about 38% of patients who develop HPS die.
In 2025, hantavirus gained attention after Betsy Arakawa, wife of actor Gene Hackman, died from the infection. Hackman, who had Alzheimer's and cardiovascular issues, died about a week later from unrelated causes. Those at highest risk include older adults, people with weakened immune systems, and those exposed to high doses of the virus. In the US, hantavirus remains rare, with 890 cases reported from 1993 to 2023. Worldwide, the WHO estimates 10,000 to over 100,000 infections annually, mostly in Asia and Europe.
The Andes strain is concerning due to its link to severe pulmonary disease and its potential for limited person-to-person spread. However, experts say the strain in this outbreak is not significantly different from other Andes viruses and shows no signs of mutation. The WHO considers the risk to the wider public low. On Friday, the WHO reported that a flight attendant who had brief contact with an infected passenger tested negative for hantavirus, easing concerns about transmissibility.
President Donald Trump commented Thursday that the virus is "very much, we hope, under control," adding that many experts are studying it. "It should be fine, we hope."
