The Virginia traveler who was on the MV Hondius — where three people died and several others became ill from hantavirus — has returned home and is not showing signs of the virus, according to the Virginia Department of Health (VDH).
VDH says the Virginian is currently in good health, adding that they believe "the risk to the general public to be low," according to a statement sent to News 3.
The department added that they are still actively monitoring the situation in correspondence with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
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The World Health Organization stated Thursday that there are eight ongoing cases of the virus, with five being confirmed and three being suspected. The virus has an incubation period of up to six weeks, meaning new cases remain possible.
While the virus is generally spread through contact with animals, these cases appear to originate from the Andes strain, which is known to allow human-to-human transmission. Health officials say the virus generally spreads through close, prolonged contact with other people. The strain of the virus is not known for causing spread among those who have brief contact with each other, officials say.
The MV Hondius departed Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1 with 130 passengers. Those with confirmed infections were airlifted from the ship.
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Officials said Thursday that remaining passengers have not shown signs of illness. The ship is expected to dock in the Canary Islands this weekend. It is unclear when those still on board will be allowed to disembark.
The CDC said it has confirmed several Americans on the ship have tested positive for hantavirus. The CDC also said the risk to the general public in the United States is “extremely low.”
