Passengers exposed to hantavirus arrive in Omaha

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO A BIT MORE, IF THAT’S HELPFUL? SURE. SO IN IN THE AND I’M ANGELA HEWLETT. I’M AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE PHYSICIAN AND I’M THE MEDICAL DIRECTOR OF THE NEBRASKA BIOCONTAINMENT UNIT. AND SO WITH OUR TWO FACILITIES, OUR QUARANTINE UNIT IS DESIGNED FOR, WELL, INDIVIDUALS WHO NEED TO BE MONITORED. IT IS NOT A PATIENT CARE SPACE. IT IS MUCH MORE LIKE A HOTEL THAN THAN A PATIENT CARE SPACE. WE DON’T HAVE THE TYPICAL THINGS THAT YOU’D SEE IN A HOSPITAL ROOM. IT’S A MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE ENVIRONMENT ACTUALLY, WITH WITH SOME THINGS THAT TO HELP KEEP PEOPLE COMFORTABLE, LIKE EXERCISE EQUIPMENT. AND IT’S A LARGER SPACE, YOU KNOW, TVS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. THE BIOCONTAINMENT UNIT IS A PATIENT CARE SPACE AND THAT’S OUR OUR UNIT, WHICH IS ALSO LOCATED ON THIS CAMPUS. AND THAT’S WHERE WE PROVIDE HOSPITAL BASED CARE TO PEOPLE WHO NEED IT. AND THOSE PATIENTS COULD RANGE FROM BEING, YOU KNOW, RELATIVELY WELL AND STABLE TO CRITICALLY ILL REQUIRING MULTIPLE PROCEDURES AND MULTIPLE INTERVENTIONS. AND SO WE DO HAVE ONE INDIVIDUAL WHO, AS YOU KNOW, WAS TAKEN TO THE BIOCONTAINMENT UNIT EARLY, EARLY THIS MORNING. AND I’M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT WE ASSESSED THAT INDIVIDUAL. THEY ARE DOING WELL, ACTUALLY. THEY ARE CURRENTLY DO NOT HAVE ANY SYMPTOMS AND HAVE A GOOD APPETITE, ALTHOUGH THEY’RE VERY THEY’RE VERY TIRED, UNDERSTANDABLY, BUT IT’S BEEN A REALLY LONG JOURNEY FOR THESE FOLKS. AND SO AGAIN, EVERYTHING APPEARS TO BE GOING VERY SMOOTHLY. I’M REALLY PROUD OF HOW OUR TEAM RESPONDED AND, AND HOW, HOW WE ALL KIND OF CAME TOGETHER TO, TO EXECUTE THIS VERY COM

Watch live: Nebraska officials give update after passengers exposed to hantavirus arrive in Omaha

Updated: 9:50 AM CDT May 11, 2026

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Nebraska officials are sharing the latest details after 16 American passengers exposed to hantavirus on a cruise ship arrived in Omaha.One passenger tested positive for Hantavirus and will stay at the biocontainment unit; another was showing symptoms.Nebraska doctor gives updates on cruise ship passenger who tested positive for hantavirusREAD MORE: Hantavirus-positive cruise ship passenger has no symptoms, Nebraska officials sayOfficials said two passengers were taken for monitoring in Atlanta, including the passenger who was showing symptoms.The 15 other passengers are asymptomatic and will be monitored in the National Quarantine Unit in Omaha.Officials said the passengers could be monitored in Omaha for up to 42 days.You can watch the press conference from Nebraska Medicine in the video player above.READ MORE: Passengers exposed to hantavirus arrive at Nebraska Medicine and UNMCAccording to Nebraska Medicine, the passenger who has tested positive for hantavirus does not show any symptoms.The Associated Press reported that a French woman has also tested positive for hantavirus. The woman was among five French passengers repatriated on Sunday.Hantavirus passengers arrive at UNMC, at least one tested positiveThose attending the press conference include: University of Nebraska President Jeffrey P. Gold, MDNebraska Gov. Jim PillenAdmiral Brian Christine, MD, Assistant Secretary for Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human ServicesJohn Knox, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,Brendan Jackson, MD, Centers of Disease Control and Prevention acting director of the division of high-consequence pathogens and pathologyCaptain Michael Garner, ASPR Regional Administrator, Region VII, Mission Field Operations LeadMatthew Ferreira, DVM, MPH, MS, HHS CounselorAshley Newmyer, director of public health, NebraskaMichael Wadman, MD, medical director of the National Quarantine Unit;Angela Hewlett, MD, medical director of Nebraska Biocontainment Unit;Dele Davies, MD, interim Chancellor of the University of Nebraska Medical CenterMichael Ash, MD, CEO of Nebraska MedicineInformation from the Associated Press was used in this report.Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |

OMAHA, Neb. —

Nebraska officials are sharing the latest details after 16 American passengers exposed to hantavirus on a cruise ship arrived in Omaha.

One passenger tested positive for Hantavirus and will stay at the biocontainment unit; another was showing symptoms.

Nebraska doctor gives updates on cruise ship passenger who tested positive for hantavirus

Officials said two passengers were taken for monitoring in Atlanta, including the passenger who was showing symptoms.

The 15 other passengers are asymptomatic and will be monitored in the National Quarantine Unit in Omaha.

Officials said the passengers could be monitored in Omaha for up to 42 days.

You can watch the press conference from Nebraska Medicine in the video player above.

According to Nebraska Medicine, the passenger who has tested positive for hantavirus does not show any symptoms.

The Associated Press reported that a French woman has also tested positive for hantavirus. The woman was among five French passengers repatriated on Sunday.

Hantavirus passengers arrive at UNMC, at least one tested positive

Those attending the press conference include:

University of Nebraska President Jeffrey P. Gold, MDNebraska Gov. Jim PillenAdmiral Brian Christine, MD, Assistant Secretary for Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human ServicesJohn Knox, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,Brendan Jackson, MD, Centers of Disease Control and Prevention acting director of the division of high-consequence pathogens and pathologyCaptain Michael Garner, ASPR Regional Administrator, Region VII, Mission Field Operations LeadMatthew Ferreira, DVM, MPH, MS, HHS CounselorAshley Newmyer, director of public health, NebraskaMichael Wadman, MD, medical director of the National Quarantine Unit;Angela Hewlett, MD, medical director of Nebraska Biocontainment Unit;Dele Davies, MD, interim Chancellor of the University of Nebraska Medical CenterMichael Ash, MD, CEO of Nebraska Medicine

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.

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