OMAHA, Nebraska -- The last eight American passengers who endured 42 days in a specialized hospital quarantine unit after exposure to an unusual hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship that killed three people have left the Nebraska facility.
HHS officials on Monday confirmed the end of the quarantine.
"Through close collaboration among federal, state, and local partners, HHS helped protect the American people, contain potential risks, and bring this response effort to a successful conclusion," HHS spokesperson Emily Hilliard said in an email.
More than 120 people were evacuated from the MV Hondius in Spain's Canary Islands early last month -- including the 18 Americans who wound up in the National Quarantine Unit in Omaha -- though most were from other countries.
In addition to those people evacuated by health officials in full protective suits, at least 30 other passengers had left the ship earlier before the outbreak was documented. That included seven Americans, who were allowed to monitor for any symptoms at home. When the ship eventually docked in the Netherlands, 25 crew members and two medical personnel were on board and had to quarantine.
