Nebraska Medicine and the University of Nebraska Medical Center have been asked by federal partners to receive and monitor U.S. citizens from the cruise ship associated with a hantavirus outbreak.

These individuals will be observed in the National Quarantine Unit, located on the campus of Nebraska Medical Center and UNMC. Nebraska Medicine and UNMC are working closely with the Douglas County Health Department, Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, and federal health partners to coordinate the effort.  

The National Quarantine Unit is the only federally funded quarantine unit in the United States, designed specifically to safely house and monitor people who may have been exposed to high-consequence infectious diseases. 

At this time, the individuals being monitored are well with no symptoms of illness. The quarantine process allows for careful observation during the incubation period of the virus while eliminating any potential risk of spread.