US hantavirus response ends. Zero infections.
Timestamp shown in UTC unless otherwise indicated.
Mission accomplished
On June 24, 2026, the US Department of Health and Human Services announced the successful conclusion of the hantavirus response. The 42-day monitoring ended on June 21 at 2:00 PM Eastern Time.
Zero hantavirus cases in the US. Zero people under monitoring. All 18 American passengers from the MV Hondius have returned home.
'Protecting the health and safety of the American people is our highest responsibility,' said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. 'We quickly identified potential exposures, supported local health officials, and prepared our healthcare system.'
How it happened
18 Americans from the cruise ship arrived at the National Quarantine Unit in Omaha, Nebraska. It happened in mid-May, right after the evacuation from Tenerife.
The first days — strict quarantine. Passengers stayed in isolated rooms. Doctors took tests every day. Not a single test came back positive.
After June 1, CDC allowed five passengers to complete quarantine at home. The remaining 13 chose to stay until the end. Among them — Angela Perryman from Florida, who was under a federal quarantine order.
By June 22, all returned to their home states. Their story was over.
Coordination at all levels
HHS, CDC, ASPR, the State Department — all worked together. Local health departments joined immediately.
HHS issued a PREP Act declaration. This accelerated the development and deployment of medical countermeasures. Experimental treatments and diagnostics became available faster.
'The successful conclusion of this response demonstrates the strength of coordinated response to infectious disease threats outside our borders,' said Acting CDC Director Jay Bhattacharya.
US numbers
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Passengers monitored | 18 |
| Confirmed Andes virus cases | 0 |
| Monitoring duration | 42 days |
| Completion date | June 21, 2026 |
| Secondary transmission cases | 0 |
| Passengers returned home | 18 |
Why 42 days
The incubation period for Andes virus is up to six weeks. That is unusually long for a respiratory virus.
WHO recommended 42-day quarantine for high-risk contacts. The US followed this protocol strictly.
The calculation was simple: if symptoms don't appear within 42 days — no infection occurred. The calculation proved correct.
PREP Act
The PREP Act declaration allowed rapid deployment of medical countermeasures. It is a tool for emergencies.
In this case, it worked. Test development and experimental treatments moved faster. Coordination between agencies became tighter.
What experts say
Medical Daily called the outbreak 'the most unusual US health emergency of 2026.' And it is true.
Federal quarantine was activated for the first time in years. 18 people under a federal quarantine order — that had not happened in a long time.
The system held. But the question remains: are we ready for the next time?
- 18 passengers under 42-day monitoring
- 0 Andes virus cases in the US
- June 24 — CDC officially ends response
- PREP Act accelerated countermeasure development
- All passengers returned home healthy