No U.S. Hantavirus Cases Reported Amid Global Outbreak As of Friday morning, no confirmed cases of hantavirus have been reported in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This update comes amid a global outbreak that has resulted in three deaths, 10 confirmed infections, and the quarantine of dozens of individuals. The CDC confirmed the absence of U.S. cases following a new round of testing at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, which assessed patients potentially exposed to the virus. The agency is currently monitoring at least 41 individuals across 16 states who may have been exposed to the virus. Half of these individuals are isolating at home, while the other half are being observed at medical facilities in Omaha, Atlanta, and Kansas City. Dr. Stephen Kornfeld, a physician from Oregon, was the only American patient who tested positive for hantavirus aboard the MV Hondius before disembarking and returning to the U.S. However, a subsequent test conducted on the ship yielded a negative result. Kornfeld has remained asymptomatic since his return on Monday, as confirmed by the CDC. NBC News has contacted Kornfeld for further comment. Officials have indicated that the initial positive test aboard the ship was likely a false positive, and that Kornfeld does not have antibodies to the virus, suggesting he was never exposed or infected. As the sole American with a confirmed case, Kornfeld was treated in a biocontainment unit at Omaha’s medical facility before moving to a quarantine unit. He is among 15 others in the U.S. who were on the voyage and are now in quarantine. Two additional passengers are receiving treatment at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta.#world_health_organization #centers_for_disease_control #mv_hondius #university_of_nebraska_medical_center #dr_stephen_kornfeld
