CDC updates hantavirus response

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told reporters on May 15 that no cases tied to the current Andes virus outbreak had been confirmed in the United States and that the risk to the general public remained “extremely low.” In a media briefing transcript posted by the agency, Jay Bhattacharya, the senior official carrying out the delegable duties of the CDC director, said the agency was applying “the same rigor and resources” used in other outbreak responses to track and contain the event. The outbreak is linked to passengers and crew from the M/V Hondius cruise ship and has drawn attention because Andes virus, unlike most hantaviruses, can spread person to person. CDC’s public situation page says the outbreak was reported on May 2 and involves a deadly cluster aboard a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean. ### Why is this outbreak getting unusual attention from U.S. officials? The CDC’s May 8 Health Alert Network advisory said the outbreak involves Andes virus, a hantavirus strain associated with hantavirus pulmonary syndrome and capable of person-to-person transmission. The advisory said the World Health Organization was notified on May 2 of a cluster of severe acute respiratory illness among passengers and crew and that WHO confirmed the Andes virus finding on May 6. As of May 8, WHO had reported eight cases — six confirmed and two suspected — including three deaths, according to the CDC advisory. (cdc.gov) ASTHO, the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, said on May 15 that the cruise ship setting and the return of exposed passengers to multiple countries created a multi-country coordination problem for public health agencies. ASTHO said the long incubation period for Andes virus, listed as 4 to 42 days after exposure, complicates monitoring and follow-up. ### What did CDC say it is doing now? (cdc.gov) CDC’s May 12 situation page said the agency worked with other U.S. government agencies and international partners to bring Americans home and repatriated passengers from the ship to the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit and Emory University Hospital in Atlanta. The page said CDC is providing technical assistance and guidance to other public health authorities and has worked with health departments to confirm that exposed passengers are being monitored by public health officials. (astho.org) Benjamin Haynes, the CDC moderator on the May 15 call, said the briefing was intended to provide more detail on what monitoring of Americans looks like. Bhattacharya said there were “no hantavirus cases in the United States currently,” adding that the agency was focused on protecting the public in the United States and abroad. ### Where do state and local health departments fit in? ASTHO said on May 15 that state and territorial health officials remain central to surveillance, contact tracing, testing coordination and public communication as the investigation continues. (cdc.gov) Its account of the response said national and international agencies may issue guidance, but local public health agencies are the ones carrying out monitoring, outreach and resource coordination where exposed people actually live. (cdc.gov) CDC’s situation page makes the same operational point in narrower terms. The agency said it has worked with health departments to confirm that all exposed passengers are being monitored and said it coordinates with health departments, airlines and international partners to identify and follow up with people potentially exposed during travel. ### What are officials saying about public communication? CDC’s public-facing materials have repeatedly paired warnings to clinicians with reassurance to the broader public. (astho.org) The May 8 advisory told clinicians and health departments to watch for imported cases and review testing and biosafety guidance, while also saying the risk of broad spread in the United States was “extremely unlikely.” The May 12 situation page used similar language, saying the risk of a pandemic from the outbreak and the overall risk to the American public and travelers remained extremely low. (cdc.gov) ASTHO said on May 15 that targeted risk communication is part of the response, particularly because exposed travelers are dispersed across jurisdictions and the disease can be severe. That framing matches the CDC’s outbreak toolkit and FAQ materials, which the agency has posted alongside technical guidance for clinicians and health departments. ### What should readers watch next? CDC’s hantavirus situation page links to interim guidance for public health assessment and management of people with potential exposure to Andes virus, a clinician brief, a case definition and reporting page, and a public FAQ on the cruise-ship outbreak. (cdc.gov) The CDC newsroom also posted briefing transcripts on May 13, May 14 and May 15, indicating the agency is continuing regular public updates as the investigation develops. (cdc.gov 1) (cdc.gov 2)