Two Americans who were not onboard the cruise ship linked to the global hantavirus outbreak are being monitored for symptoms - as officials warn it could take weeks for the 17 evacuated passengers to know if they are sick.
The Maryland Department of Health made the shocking announcement on Monday, as the final 28 people disembarked the MV Hondius.
Officials now believe the 'potential exposure occurred during air travel abroad.'
At the same time, authorities in New York announced that three residents of the Empire State were among those onboard the Norwegian-flagged ship.
Governor Kathy Hochul said all three of the passengers are being quarantined on a Nebraska Air Force base, where they are being monitored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
They are then expected to be subject to a 42-day monitoring period.
She said she has tapped some of the state's best experts to 'prepare us for any potential scenario.'
But Dr Alister Martin, the commissioner of New York City's Department of Health, insisted 'the risk to New Yorkers for hantavirus remains extremely low.
'We will keep New Yorkers informed as we monitor and respond to the situation,' he vowed.
The New York passengers were among 17 Americans now back in the United States.
Three New York residents were among those onboard the MV Hondius cruise ship, which has been linked to a global hantavirus outbreak
Passengers are disembarked from the hantavirus-stricken cruise ship MV Hondius on Sunday
Passengers from the final group to be evacuated from the ship made their way to the airport on Monday
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.