ASPR’s Response to the 2026 Hantavirus Outbreak
New and Notable
May 11, 2026: News Conference at UNMC on Arrival of MV Hondius Passengers
May 10, 2026:HHS Supports Repatriation of U.S. Citizens to Specialized Care Facilities
Follow @HHSGov for updates
ASPR is supporting the Department of State-led repatriation of Americans from the MV Hondius following an Andes hantavirus outbreak by coordinating medical and operational support. This effort is being supported by specialized treatment centers across the National Special Pathogen System and is focused on the safe return Americans home while protecting public health.
As the national lead under Emergency Support Function 8 of the National Response Framework, ASPR works with our state, local, tribal, and territorial partners to ensure an effective public health and medical response.
The overall risk to the American public from the hantavirus and its Andes variant remains extremely low. Hantavirus is not typically spread person to person; transmission is rare and limited to close-contact settings.
Transportation of MV Hondius Passengers
Passengers were transported by Department of State airlift to two of ASPR’s Regional Emerging Special Pathogen Treatment Centers in the United States: University of Nebraska Medical Center/Nebraska Medicine in Omaha, Nebraska and Emory University/Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta in Atlanta, Georgia. Upon arrival at each facility, every person undergoes clinical assessment and receives appropriate care and support based on their condition.;
The National Special Pathogen System
The National Special Pathogen System (NSPS) helps the country prepare the healthcare system, protect the healthcare workforce, and respond to special pathogen events by coordinating special pathogen care across the United States. The NSPS consists of a tiered system of care, made up of healthcare facilities across the country.
Within the NSPS, the 13 Regional Emerging Special Pathogen Treatment Centers (RESPTCs) provide the highest level of care. The RESPCTs are regional resource hubs which provide highly specialized care, designed to treat and care for patients for their duration of illness.
The National Quarantine Unit
The federally-funded National Quarantine Unit (NQU), inside the University of Nebraska Medical Center Dr. Edwin G. & Dorothy Balbach Davis Global Center, is specifically designed to provide world-class quarantine and isolation care to individuals exposed to highly communicable diseases. Its 20 rooms employ individual negative air pressure systems, are single occupancy with ensuite bathroom facilities and contain exercise equipment and Wi-Fi connectivity for patients requiring longer stays.
The NQU's team is comprised of highly skilled nurses, physicians and allied health professionals who complete quarterly training in specialized infection prevention and control processes as well as participate in exercises and drills. They are committed to maintaining the advanced skills necessary for attending to the unique needs of individuals requiring monitoring.
The Nebraska Biocontainment Unit
The Nebraska Biocontainment Unit (NBU) was dedicated in 2005. The NBU is a collaborative project involving Nebraska Medicine and the University of Nebraska Medical Center. In addition to providing medical care for patients with high consequence infectious diseases, the unit has active research and outreach training programs for the region and nation. It is funded by ASPR and is a Level 1 Special Pathogen Treatment Center which undergoes annual readiness assessments. Unit personnel consist of a staff of select physicians, nurses, nursing assistants and respiratory therapists specially trained in high-level isolation and bio preparedness.
Emory University RESPTC
Emory University is a global leader in the research and treatment of infectious diseases and is one of the Southeast’s leading health care systems. In 2014, Emory University Hospital successfully treated four patients with Ebola virus disease, including the first Ebola patient in the U.S. Emory’s groundbreaking work on Ebola led to innovations in patient care that continue to be implemented worldwide.
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