{"id":132078,"date":"2026-05-11T15:20:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-11T20:20:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/?p=132078"},"modified":"2026-05-11T15:25:16","modified_gmt":"2026-05-11T20:25:16","slug":"update-article","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2026\/05\/11\/update-article\/","title":{"rendered":"16 U.S. citizens safely repatriated to UNMC, Nebraska Medicine"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Sixteen Americans who were on a cruise ship associated with a hantavirus outbreak have been repatriated to UNMC and Nebraska Medicine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They arrived in Omaha early Monday on a U.S. Department of State plane from the Canary Islands. Fifteen were \u201cresting now\u201d on Monday morning in the National Quarantine Unit at the Davis Global Center, reported Michael Wadman, MD, Muelleman Chair of Emergency Medicine at UNMC, the unit\u2019s medical director.<\/p>\n\n\n

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News media representatives from CNN, NBC News, CBS News, FOX News, ABC News and KETV News, among other outlets, attended a Monday press conference at the Davis Global Center.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The sixteenth, who previously tested positive for Andes Hantavirus, was transported to the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit for monitoring. This individual was \u201cdoing well and not showing any symptoms at this time,\u201d as of Monday morning, reported Angela Hewlett, MD, Orr Chair in Health Security and the NBU\u2019s medical director.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two other individuals, one showing symptoms, were transported to Emory University in Atlanta and its biocontainment unit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Federal, state, university, UNMC and Nebraska Medicine experts updated the public Monday morning at a press conference at the medical center. CNN, NBC News, CBS News, FOX News, ABC News and KETV News attended, among other outlets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The U.S. federal government, as it had during infectious diseases outbreaks of Ebola and COVID-19, again turned to UNMC and Nebraska Medicine and its world-class experts and facilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are honored to have this responsibility to repatriate these American citizens. There is no place in the country where they would be better cared for, more safely and more effectively,\u201d said University of Nebraska System President Jeffrey P. Gold, MD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The medical center was tapped for this assignment \u201cdue to its extensive expertise in handling of special pathogens and because it has the only national quarantine unit in the country,\u201d said John Knox, principal deputy assistant secretary for preparedness and response for the U.S. Health and Human Services\u2019 Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR). Knox was one of a handful of top federal officials on site Monday morning.<\/p>\n\n\n

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“There is no place in the country where they would be better cared for, more safely and more effectively,\u201d said University of Nebraska System President Jeffrey P. Gold, MD.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cWhat you are seeing is a system working exactly as intended,\u201d said Matthew Ferreira, DVM, counselor, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 15 in the National Quarantine Unit are currently \u201cin good shape and in good spirits,\u201d Dr. Wadman said. \u201cThey are definitely tired and needed some rest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey are all asymptomatic and all very grateful to be here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The visiting individuals range in age from late 20s to early 80s, Dr. Wadman said.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n

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