While states like New Hampshire and New York have residents who traveled on the hantavirus-impacted MV Hondius cruise ship, Connecticut health officials said Tuesday none of the passengers or crew are from here.
Brittany Schaefer, a spokesperson for the Connecticut Department of Public Health, said Tuesday, “Right now, there is no connection to Connecticut from the ship nor any close contacts we are monitoring.”
Connecticut has only had one case of hantavirus, and it was reported in 2014, according to Schaefer.
"(The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) is working with international partners and keeping states informed of this outbreak,” the Connecticut department said, in a statement Tuesday. “The risk to the general public is extremely low. CT DPH is monitoring the situation. We are not aware of any passengers on the ship returning to CT; if any do return, we will work with CDC to ensure their health."
The World Health Organization on Tuesday indicated there have been 11 cases, including 3 deaths, reported to date. Nine of these 11 cases are confirmed, and the other 2 are probable. All are among passengers or crew on the ship, according to WHO.
“We expect more cases given the dynamics of spread on a ship and the virus’ incubation period,” WHO said, in an announcement. “At the moment, there is no sign that we are seeing the start of a larger outbreak.”
Passengers and crew are being followed up on in their home countries. The WHO is recommending that they enter a 42 day quarantine at home or in a facility, starting with their day of departure from the ship.
On Monday, the New Hampshire Department of Health & Human Services announced it is aware of two people with New Hampshire addresses who traveled on the cruise ship and have returned to the United States.
Officials have said 18 Americans were onboard the cruise ship.
“The two individuals are not in New Hampshire at this time, and we are actively communicating with our federal partners to assess whether they will be returning to the state in order to coordinate appropriate monitoring to ensure their health and that of the public,” the New Hampshire department said. “There is no current health risk to residents.”
On Monday, New York Department of Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald announced three New York residents who were passengers had arrived at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska.
One passenger is from New York City, while the other two are residents of Orange County and Westchester County. All three are expected to be subject to a 42-day monitoring period, according to McDonald.
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"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,” he said.
“We are closely monitoring the situation and working with the CDC and local health departments,” McDonald added. “At this point, it is important to emphasize that there is no immediate risk to the public. We will continue to monitor the situation."
Hantaviruses are typically spread through contact with wild rodent droppings, urine, and saliva, according to health officials. The cruise ship outbreak is associated with the hantavirus known as the Andes virus, which can spread between people in situations of close, prolonged contact. Symptoms usually begin between four and 42 days after exposure, and early signs can include fever, fatigue, muscle aches, headache, and gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Some can develop severe illness, which can lead to difficulty breathing and death.
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