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An oncologist traveling on a cruise ship linked to a hantavirus outbreak has been isolated at a specialized biocontainment unit in Nebraska. Dr. Stephen
Kornfeld from Bend, Oregon, volunteered to assist fellow passengers who fell ill aboard the MV Hondius in April, and he is currently the only American in isolation following a positive test for the virus.
Fifteen other Americans are under observation at the National Quarantine Unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, but Kornfeld's nasal swab result prompted his transfer to a separate facility.“I feel wonderful, 100%,” Kornfeld stated during a video call from his hospital room on Tuesday. He described experiencing flu-like symptoms while on the ship, including night sweats, chills, and fatigue, but reported no current symptoms.
The World Health Organization announced that there have been 11 reported hantavirus cases associated with the cruise, resulting in three fatalities, with eight cases confirmed through laboratory tests.
Kornfeld mentioned that a nasal swab taken on the ship yielded inconclusive results, with one test in the Netherlands returning positive and another negative. He is now awaiting results from a new test conducted upon his return to the U.S.
Dr. David Fitter from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicated that they are in the process of retesting Kornfeld, hoping to receive results within a day.
Besides those in Nebraska, two other Americans are being monitored at the serious communicable disease unit at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta.
This outbreak marks the first instance of hantavirus being reported on a cruise ship. Although there is no cure or vaccine for hantavirus, the WHO asserts that early detection and treatment can enhance survival rates.
Health officials have assessed the risk to the general public from this outbreak as low, noting that hantavirus typically spreads through rodent droppings and is not easily transmitted between individuals, although the Andes virus detected on the Hondius may have rare human-to-human transmission potential.
The WHO recommends that all passengers and crew from the cruise ship remain in quarantine for 42 days, whether at home or in other facilities.
Kornfeld described his accommodations in Nebraska as a hospital room featuring a comfortable bed. “It’s a little weird being in here by myself,” he remarked, adding that the medical staff frequently checks on him and that he stays connected through WhatsApp.
