Utah health officials confirmed Friday that at least one Utah resident is still aboard the MV Hondius, a cruise vessel linked to a hantavirus outbreak that has killed three passengers during a voyage in the Atlantic Ocean.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notified the state that the Utah passenger is among 17 U.S. citizens remaining on the ship, which is expected to dock in the Canary Islands within the next several days.
State officials stated that the passenger is expected to be transported to the National Quarantine Unit in Nebraska under federal supervision before eventually returning to Utah.
The Utah Department of Health and Human Services said it will work closely with any passengers from Utah to ensure they return home safely, adding that this situation does not increase the risk of hantavirus to the Utah population. The department also noted it will not release further details about the passenger to protect privacy.
Health officials have not yet determined if the Utah passenger had contact with infected individuals on the ship. According to the World Health Organization, the outbreak was first reported on May 2 and is considered a low risk to the general public.
Reports indicate that three people—a Dutch couple and a German national—have died since the vessel left Argentina last month, while other passengers have been medically evacuated.
In addition to monitoring efforts in Utah, five other states including Arizona, California, Georgia, Texas, and Virginia are monitoring seven passengers who previously departed the ship. New Jersey health officials are also monitoring two people potentially exposed to the virus, though officials stated none of those being monitored are currently showing symptoms.
Hantaviruses are typically spread through contact with infected rodent urine, saliva, or droppings. However, Utah health officials noted that the Andes virus strain involved in this outbreak can spread between people in limited circumstances involving close, prolonged contact with someone who is actively sick.
Officials emphasized that the virus is not known to spread through casual contact and there have been no documented cases of asymptomatic transmission. State officials said they will continue symptom monitoring and coordinate with the CDC before the Utah passenger returns home.
