Jake Rosmarin is documenting his weeks-long isolation as he waits out the virus’s incubation window.
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What began as a dream wildlife expedition quickly turned into a nightmare for Jake Rosmarin. The Boston travel influencer set out April 1 on a cruise from Argentina, bound for Cape Verde after stops on remote South Atlantic islands and Antarctica.
But the trip slowly unraveled when a passenger began showing symptoms of hantavirus.
Since then, the World Health Organization has reported 11 cases, including nine confirmed hantavirus cases. Three people have died.
Hantavirus:
Weeks after boarding the ship, Rosmarin is back on U.S. soil, but not yet free to go home. He remains in quarantine in Nebraska, where he and 15 other Americans from the voyage are at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. One member of the group has tested positive but is asymptomatic.
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Rosmarin has been documenting the ordeal on social media, assuring followers on Monday that he is “okay and feeling well.”
He arrived in Omaha after taking a repatriation flight from the Canary Islands, and authorities placed him in the National Quarantine Unit.
“It’s been a very long few days, but hopefully, I can start giving more updates again soon,” he wrote.
In a video call to Good Morning America from the quarantine room, Rosmarin shared what it was like to learn about the virus while on board.
“It was a really scary moment for me personally,” he said. “I think, like anyone, when you hear a virus that you may not know about, you Google it…it’s some very scary statistics.”
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He said he spent most of his remaining time on board in his cabin.
“It was a scary time, and I had a lot of up-and-down emotions,” he said.
Since arriving back on American soil, he has posted photos and videos showing his new digs, which include a hospital-style room outfitted with a bed, dresser, exercise bike, scenic wall art, and even a hand sanitizer dispenser.
In one clip, he thanks staff for bringing him a Starbucks, saying he hadn’t had a good iced coffee in more than six weeks. “Such a small gesture, but after everything these past weeks, it genuinely meant so much,” he said.
Rosmarin must remain in isolation for 42 days, the full incubation period for hantavirus.
The virus typically spreads through contact with urine or feces from infected rodents, not through person-to-person transmission.
However, rare cases of human-to-human spread have been documented, according to the World Health Organization. There is no specific cure, but early treatment can prevent severe illness. As of Friday, the WHO said the overall risk to the global population remains low.
For now, Rosmarin is trying to stay positive, relying on care packages from home — including clothes and a coloring book — to get him through the long stay.
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“Still trying to adjust to the reality of being here for a 42-day quarantine,” he wrote, “but I’m doing my best to stay positive and continue sharing updates throughout this whole experience.”
Beth Treffeisen is a general assignment reporter for Boston.com, focusing on local news, crime, and business in the New England region.
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