One of the 17 Americans evacuated from the infamous hantavirus cruise has tested positive for the disease, while another has 'mild symptoms,' the Department of Health and Human Services confirmed Sunday night.
While at least six Americans were being monitored for the disease related to the cruise, this is the first confirmed case of the hantavirus from those being evacuated this weekend from the luxury cruise ship MV Hondius.
All the US citizens are being airlifted to the United States, and the two passengers with symptoms are traveling in the plane's biocontainment units, HHS added.
The second symptomatic passenger has not yet been confirmed as having the virus. The aircraft was due to arrive in Omaha, Nebraska, early Monday.
'One passenger currently has mild symptoms and another passenger tested mildly PCR positive for the Andes virus,' they said.
'As of now, the airlift will transport passengers to the ASPR Regional Emerging Special Pathogen Treatment Center (RESPTC) at the University of Nebraska Medical Center/Nebraska Medicine in Omaha, Nebraska before taking the passenger with mild symptoms to a second RESPTC at its final destination.'
Each of the 17 Americans will be clinically assessed and cared for based on their condition, HHS added.
'One passenger will be transported to the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit upon arrival, while other passengers will go to the National Quarantine Unit for assessment and monitoring. The passenger who is going to the Biocontainment Unit tested positive for the virus but does not have symptoms,' said Kayla Thomas, a spokesperson for The Nebraska Medical Center.
One of the 17 Americans evacuated from the infamous hantavirus cruise has tested positive for the disease, while another has 'mild symptoms,' the Department of Health and Human Services confirmed Sunday night
Hantaviruses are a group of viruses that are usually spread by rodents but in rare cases can be transmitted person to person.
Health authorities have said the risk of the virus spreading is low.
Eight people no longer on the MV Hondius, opens new tab have fallen ill, according to a World Health Organization update from Friday, with six of them confirmed to have contracted the virus, opens new tab.
A Dutch couple and a German national have died.
The Andes strain of hantavirus, identified in the ship's outbreak, can cause severe lung illness that can be fatal in up to 50 percent of cases, according to the WHO.
Spain and France have evacuated, opens new tab their citizens from the MV Hondius, which is anchored near Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands, officials said.
Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, Turkey, the UK and Ireland are also flying home nationals who were on the ship.
This is a developing story.