The Nebraska Public Health Laboratory has received two awards associated with its response to the Andes hantavirus.
NPHL was presented with the Excellence in Public Health Response award Sept. 3 at the Laboratory Response Network (LRN) Technical Meeting in San Antonio. Additionally, the laboratory received the 2026 Dr. Phillip W. Smith Distinguished Service Award from Dr. Richard Hankins and the Nebraska Infection Control Network (NICN). The award singled out Emily McCutchen, NPHL director, and staff members Amanda Bartling, Amy Roden and Stevie McGill for their efforts.
The outbreak began in May aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship. Eighteen Americans were transported to the National Quarantine Unit inside the UNMC Davis Global Center. When NPHL staff learned that the ship passengers were coming, they quickly and effectively came up with a diagnostic test for that hantavirus strain. Within a couple of days, the lab had developed and validated an RT-PCR (real-time polymerase chain reaction) assay.
“This recognition is a tremendous honor for the Nebraska Public Health Laboratory and, most importantly, for the incredible team behind the response,” McCutchen said. “The Andes hantavirus response demonstrated what public health laboratories can accomplish when preparedness, expertise, collaboration, and a strong network come together under intense time pressure.
“I am incredibly proud of our team and grateful to all of our partners who helped us rapidly develop and implement testing to provide answers when they were needed most,” she said.