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CDC says 41 people being monitored for hantavirus in US

By Reuters Reuters
Personnel from various agencies assist in the disembarkation of passengers evacuated from the cruise ship MV Hondius, which was affected by a hantavirus outbreak, and arrived on a chartered aircraft at Eppley Airfield in Omaha, Nebraska, U.S. May 11, 2026. REUTERS/Hayden Smith
Personnel from various agencies assist in the disembarkation of passengers evacuated from the cruise ship MV Hondius, which was affected by a hantavirus outbreak, and arrived on a chartered aircraft at Eppley Airfield in Omaha, Nebraska, U.S. May 11, 2026. REUTERS/Hayden Smith Hayden Smith Reuters

WASHINGTON - There are 41 people in the United States currently being monitored for hantavirus, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday, most of whom should stay at home and avoid people during the 42-day monitoring period.

The 41 people come from three main groups, said Dr. David Fitter, the incident manager for the CDC's hantavirus response.

"First, passengers who were recently repatriated and are now in Nebraska and Emory. Second, passengers who had already left the ship and had already returned home before the outbreak was identified. And third, people who may have been exposed during travel, specifically on flights where a symptomatic case was present," Fitter told reporters on a media call.

(Reporting by Ahmed Aboulenein, Michael Erman, and Doina Chiacu; Editing by Nia Williams)

Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect.

This story was originally published May 14, 2026 at 2:36 PM.

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