Prolonged Quarantine Stirs Controversy in Nebraska

A cruise ship passenger exposed to hantavirus in early May remains in quarantine in Nebraska, despite wanting to leave and recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that suggest otherwise.

The Davis Global Center at the University of Nebraska Medical Center houses the National Quarantine Unit in Omaha. While many who were in the facility have returned home for monitoring, Angela Perryman, 47, continues her isolation.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. signed an order on Monday maintaining Perryman’s quarantine. This decision comes even though others have been allowed to return to their homes since May 31, provided they undergo monitoring by local health officials.

In an interview with The New York Times, Perryman, who tested negative for the virus and claims no symptoms, shared her frustration. She learned of Kennedy’s decision when a copy of the order was slid under her room door.

After a hearing to challenge her quarantine, Dr. Michael Bell, a quarantine medical reviewer from the CDC, recommended that Perryman should complete her 42-day quarantine at home. The recommendation included remote daily symptom monitoring and access to 24-hour assistance if symptoms emerge.

“In my professional judgment, this less restrictive alternative is adequate to protect public health,” Dr. Bell stated in his review.