State and university leaders gathered Tuesday, June 23, at the National Quarantine Unit to mark the successful completion of a six-week operation.
The effort focused on monitoring former passengers from the MV Hondius cruise ship following a hantavirus exposure. All 18 Americans have now completed monitoring at the NQU, located inside the UNMC Davis Global Center, and safely returned to their home states. No cases of hantavirus were identified among the group.
University of Nebraska President Jeffrey P. Gold, MD, opened the news conference by emphasizing both the milestone and the people behind it.
“Think about what it takes for somebody to get out of bed in the morning and come into work, knowing that they’re dealing with individuals who could potentially be infected with a virus that has no vaccine, no treatment and no cure,” he said. “It takes quite a bit, particularly for parents of young kids. And yet, every time we get asked, the team rises to the occasion to do exactly that.”
Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen called the result the best possible outcome given the uncertainty at the start of the response.
“We didn’t know if the passengers would be sick, didn’t know what would be taking place, and yet we knew everybody here would do nothing but provide the best possible care of anywhere in the world,” he said
Gov. Pillen praised the collaboration among local, state and federal partners, as well as the commitment of Nebraska Medicine and UNMC staff.
“What should be really reassuring to all of America is that Nebraskans stand ready to address the next difficult, highly infectious, deadly disease,” he said. “No matter what the risk is, Nebraskans run to it, not away from it.”
Michael Wadman, MD, chair of the UNMC Department of Emergency Medicine and medical director of the National Quarantine Unit, highlighted the scale of the response, noting that the activation required coordination across the entire health system while normal hospital operations continued.
“It takes pharmacy, food services, security, various clinical services … a whole institution is involved,” he said. “Six weeks is a long activation. Over those six weeks, there’s no room for error.”
Angie Vasa, director of emergency preparedness and special pathogen programs, noted that the experience reinforced the importance of addressing both medical and emotional needs during quarantine.
“Isolation and quarantine care is a very challenging time for people, both in a mental health and in a physical health capacity,” she said.
The team implemented daily town halls for quarantine guests with integrated behavioral health support. This strategy, along with ensuring access to a full range of medical specialties during their stay, were some of the lessons learned that were shared with partner institutions across the country to strengthen future responses.
Speakers also highlighted support from the community and across the state, from donated meals and care packages to letters sent by students.
“It felt like every day there was something new that reminded our team of the mission,” Vasa said.
While the operation has concluded, leaders emphasized that preparedness remains ongoing. The National Quarantine Unit and Nebraska Biocontainment Unit continue to stand ready for future public health needs.
In closing, Dr. Gold reflected on the significance of the effort and its outcome.
“We’re proud of the fact that, when called and asked to rise to the occasion, we were able to rapidly step forward and send these people home, back to their families and friends in top shape,” he said.