NC officials: Nebraska hantavirus quarantine extended through end of month

The passengers quarantined in Nebraska after exposure to the hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius, including a North Carolina resident, will remain there through at least the end of the month, according to North Carolina health officials.

Scott Shone, director of the North Carolina State Laboratory of Public Health, said states with passengers in the Nebraska quarantine received the update late Monday. He said the additional time helps officials continue preparing for when the passenger eventually returns home.

“That does help with our planning posture and preparedness for when that individual might return, or what the next steps are in response to the outbreak,” Shone said.

Shone said local and state health officials have been working closely with federal partners.

“Options for transport are being worked out through the federal government in collaboration with state and local partners,” Shone said. “That is a constant source of review and communication. I think that the communication from the local level through the federal level has been exceptional throughout this process to make sure that we're all ready for whatever the next steps might be.”

Hantavirus is a rare disease usually caused by contact with infected rodents’ feces.

Shone reiterated the risk for transmission to the general public remains “very, very small.” 

“It is unlikely that anyone in the general public in North Carolina would need to be tested for this virus or hantaviruses in general,” he said. “The last case of hantavirus in North Carolina was in 1995 and it was a very rare occurrence.”

The passengers from the MV Hondius are specifically being monitored for the Andes strain of hantavirus. Andes is the only hantavirus strain known to spread person-to-person, and can cause severe respiratory illness.

Three people have already died in connection to the cruise ship outbreak. As of May 19, the CDC reports no cases in the United States have been reported in connection to the ship.

The North Carolina State Laboratory of Public Health does not currently have the ability to test for the Andes strain. Shone said any suspected sample would be sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for analysis. 

“The CDC does currently have a serology test that looks at the immune response to the virus,” Shone explained. 

The lab director noted the state is in the process of bringing a PCR test online in Raleigh that could similarly test for hantavirus if needed. PCR tests were widely used during the COVID-19 pandemic to help detect coronavirus infection.

Shone said North Carolina has spent years preparing for rare disease threats, including training of medical staff through UNC Health’s Special Pathogen Response Center in Chapel Hill. 

“We are close partners with the special pathogens unit at UNC, both their clinical side of the house in case anybody with symptoms of any special pathogen needed to be here – as well as their laboratory,” Shone said. “We can coordinate the need for any special testing or collection of samples, whether it is tested in their laboratory, in the State Laboratory of Public Health, or in conjunction with our partners in Atlanta at the CDC.”

The state health official also shared that previous outbreaks, like Ebola, have helped refine responses to emerging infectious diseases.

“Every time we go through this, we learn something new,” Shone said. “We learn about testing, we learn about how these pathogens spread, we learn about how to better communicate the risks, and what we know and don’t know about the situation.”

He continued, “Every one of these has been a learning experience. I think the North Carolina Public Health System does a great job at making sure we are clear, we communicate, and that we’re here to protect the residents of North Carolina.”