Monitoring Required for Cruise Ship Passengers Exposed to Hantavirus

Trump administration officials are requiring local health authorities to monitor 18 passengers for three additional weeks. This demand surpasses typical protocols used in past virus outbreaks.

The passengers, housed at the National Quarantine Unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, were on a cruise ship linked to a global hantavirus outbreak this month.

Now in federal quarantine for nearly three weeks, they might be released Monday. The condition is their state governments agree to a round-the-clock monitoring for another three weeks. Some passengers and federal instructions informed local health officials of this stipulation.

Such measures exceed past outbreak protocols and may affect two New York residents among the quarantined passengers, according to their attorney. Steven Hyman, their lawyer, mentioned that the CDC wants someone locally to ensure compliance with home confinement. If not arranged, Hyman’s clients must complete a 42-day quarantine in Nebraska.

Federal and New York State Health Department officials did not comment on these release conditions. While some passengers might leave on Monday, at least one intends to travel to Florida.

The CDC’s initial request for a law enforcement officer at homes if passengers left the facility has changed. The revised plan involves 24/7 monitoring by a health worker after states raised cost and authorization concerns.