Seventeen Americans who were aboard a cruise ship that became linked to hantavirus cases have returned to the United States, CBS News reports. The passengers arrived back this week and are being monitored by health officials, according to the network’s Eye Opener bulletin.
Local and federal public-health authorities have been coordinating follow-up for travelers who may have been exposed. Hantavirus is rare in humans and is typically associated with exposure to infected rodents and their droppings; it can cause flu-like symptoms that may progress to more serious respiratory illness. Health departments emphasize early evaluation for anyone who develops fever, muscle aches or difficulty breathing after potential exposure.
Officials on both sides of the border have said they are conducting testing and monitoring of symptomatic passengers and advising quarantine or medical evaluation where appropriate. The returning Americans are being assessed by health-care providers and public-health teams as part of standard containment and contact-tracing procedures.
In other headlines cited during the Eye Opener segment, CBS News noted that President Trump rejected Iran’s latest peace proposal. That item was listed alongside the update on the cruise-ship situation.
CBS News and public-health agencies continue to follow the story and will report any new information about the passengers’ health and any wider public-health implications as it becomes available.