Nebraska Medicine will quarantine U.S. citizens on cruise ship impacted by hantavirus outbreak

Nebraska Medicine and the University of Nebraska Medical Center confirmed that they have been requested by federal officials to receive and monitor American citizens on the cruise ship impacted by the hantavirus outbreak.The individuals will be observed in the National Quarantine Unit, the only federally funded quarantine unit in the United States, which is on the campus of the Nebraska Medical Center and UNMC.Officials said Nebraska Medicine and UNMC are working with the Douglas County Health Department, Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services and federal health officials to coordinate the effort. “We are prepared for situations exactly like this,” Michael Ash, CEO of Nebraska Medicine, said in a statement. “Our teams have trained for decades alongside federal and state partners to make sure we can safely provide care while protecting our staff and the broader community. We are proud to support this national effort.”READ MORE: CDC teams will meet Americans on hantavirus-stricken ship at Nebraska quarantine unit and in Canary IslandsNebraska Medicine said the individuals being monitored are well with no symptoms of illness at this time. The quarantine process will allow for observation during the incubation period of the virus while eliminating any potential risk of spread, according to officials.The Nebraska Biocontainment Unit is also on the Nebraska Medical Center campus. Officials said people can be safely treated in this unit if they develop symptoms.Get the Facts: Will the hantavirus impact Nebraskans?”This request reflects the longstanding partnership between the University of Nebraska Medical Center and federal health agencies, as well as the trust placed in our teams,” H. Dele Davies, interim chancellor of UNMC, said in a statement. “For decades, we have invested in the people, facilities and training needed to respond to emerging infectious diseases, and we stand ready to support this effort while continuing to prioritize safety.” “Our role is to provide a controlled, safe environment where people can be monitored and, if needed, cared for using the highest safety standards,” John Lowe, director of the Global Center for Health Security, said in a statement. “We work closely with national partners to ensure every step, from transport, to monitoring, to potential treatment, is handled with precision and care.”Officials said the World Health Organization has identified the hantavirus strain that impacted the cruise ship as the Andes virus, which is rare, but can be transmitted from person to person. Spread is usually limited to people who have close contact with the infected person. WHO currently assesses the risk to the global population from this event as low and continues to monitor the situation, officials said.The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is dispatching staffers to meet the cruise ship in the Canary Islands, with plans to escort its American passengers back to the U.S. aboard a charter flight, CNN reported.The U.S. State Department is arranging the repatriation flight in coordination with the CDC, US Department of Health and Human Services and Government of Spain, a State Department spokesperson confirmed.There are an estimated 17 Americans on board the cruise ship, according to its operator, Oceanwide Expeditions.Nebraska Medicine and UNMC treated patients during the 2014 Ebola outbreak and cared for some of the first Americans diagnosed with COVID-19 in 2020.”We understand situations like this can raise questions,” Ash said. “People should know these facilities were specifically designed to prevent exposure to the public. There is no risk to the community from people being cared for in these units.””Nebraska has a proud tradition of stepping up for our fellow Americans in moments of need, and we are fully committed to support our federal, state and local partners in this mission,” Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen said in a statement. “Nebraska is the world leader in dealing with infectious disease, our professionals in this field at the State and at the University of Nebraska Medical Center will ensure the safe quarantine of these Americans. Our state public health team is fully engaged with our federal and University partners, and my office is in constant touch with President Trump, Secretary Kennedy, and their teams.””We are honored to once more serve fellow Americans with the world-class resources of UNMC and Nebraska Medicine,” Jeffrey P. Gold, president of the University of Nebraska, said in a statement. “Our extensive experience with high-consequence infectious diseases over the past decade is the foundation of confidence in our willingness to once more provide these critical services to the nation.”Nebraska Medicine said officials will continue to coordinate with federal, state and local public health partners and will provide updates.W2lmcmFtZSBzcmM9Imh0dHBzOi8vaGVhcnN0dGVsZXZpc2lvbmRhdGFqb3VybmFsaXNtLmh0dmFwcHMuY29tL2hhbnRhdmlydXMvdjIvaW5kZXguaHRtbCIgZnJhbWVib3JkZXI9IjAiIGhlaWdodD0iOTAwcHgiIHdpZHRoPSIxMDAlIiBzY3JvbGxpbmcgPSAibm8iXVsvaWZyYW1lXQ==Five states — Arizona, California, Georgia, Texas and Virginia — are already monitoring seven passengers who previously disembarked from the ship. Health officials told CNN that none are experiencing symptoms. New Jersey also said it is monitoring two people who were potentially exposed to a person infected with hantavirus after departing MV Hondius. They are not experiencing hantavirus symptoms.Eight hantavirus cases — all among passengers on the MV Hondius — have already been identified. Among them, three people have died.Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |