3 New Yorkers among passengers exposed in MV Hondius hantavirus outbreak, says DOH
The DOH says one passenger is from New York City, one is from Orange County and one is from Westchester County.
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The New York State Department of Health announced that three passengers on the MV Hondius cruise ship, where the hantavirus spread, are New York residents.
The DOH says one passenger is from New York City, one is from Orange County and one is from Westchester County.
The news comes just a few days after the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene released a statement on X on May 8, stating that the department had not received notification that any NYC resident was aboard the MV Hondius.
All three New York residents arrived at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska and are expected to be subject to a 42-day monitoring period, according to state Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald.
“While the Department is working in close coordination with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local health departments to gather information, at this point, it is unclear how long they will stay in Nebraska and whether, or when, those individuals intend to return to New York. We are closely monitoring the situation and working with the CDC and local health departments," McDonald said in a statement.
In a press conference on Monday, Gov. Kathy Hochul spoke at a press conference about how she and the CDC are being proactive in handling the issue.
"We don't know whether those individuals will be returning to New York. I believe that there is a 42-day monitoring period, and they can decide whether they want to do that in Nebraska or come back and make other accommodations. But my health department, my departments’ all been involved with the CDC from the beginning. And I want to make sure that the CDC is capable of handling something should it grow larger than they're predicting," Hochul said.
NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Alister Martin also released a statement about the Hantavirus on X, stating in part: "Currently, the risk to New Yorkers for hantavirus remains extremely low. We will keep New Yorkers informed as we monitor and respond to the situation."
McDonald says the risk to New Yorkers currently remains extremely low, and the department will continue to monitor and respond to the situation.
