CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — A plane carrying two passengers from the M/V Hondius cruise ship with hantavirus outbreak landed at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Monday.
This is a breaking news story. We’ll have the latest on Channel 2 Action News starting at 4:00 p.m.
Nebraska health officials confirmed two people from the cruise were being transported to Atlanta.
At least one of them is showing symptoms, officials said. The two people, a couple, were moved to Atlanta to have more space in case other people test positive.
“I mean, this is a system that exists for exactly this kind of scenario, and what you are seeing is the system working,” a health official said. “The system kind of will absorb passengers as needed. And this is a very well rehearsed system that exists, and what you are seeing is that system work exactly as intended.”
In a statement, the Georgia Department of Public Health confirmed that the patients are being taken to Emory University Hospital.
“The Georgia Department of Public Health has been notified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that two individuals who disembarked the ship at the center of the hantavirus outbreak are being transported to Emory University’s Serious Communicable Diseases Unit today.
“Federal healthcare workers are taking every precaution needed in each of these cases, and there is no risk to the public at this time. DPH is also remaining actively in communication with the CDC and other partners and will continue to do so for as long as necessary as we monitor each development in the coming days and weeks.”
During a news conference on Monday, Nebraska health officials said there were a total of 18 passengers who are being assessed, including the two brought to Atlanta.
“Right now, the folks, the passengers, that are all in the sort of assessment phase, they’re going to be here for at least a few days while we do assessments and then coordination from what happens next. They certainly have the option to stay here for the entire 42-day period,” health officials said.
Channel 2 Action News has reached out to the CDC for more information.
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The Georgia Department of Public Health previously confirmed that two Georgians were on the cruise ship and returned home last week. Neither of those passengers were showing symptoms, but are being monitored.
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