MADRID (dpa-AFX) - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has urged all Americans aboard the hantavirus-hit cruise ship to follow the guidance of health officials as the Trump Administration works to bring them home safely.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, CDC said the Administration is closely monitoring the situation with U.S. travelers onboard the M/V Hondius cruise ship with confirmed hantavirus.
'Our top priority remains the health and safety of all U.S. passengers. The Department of State is leading a coordinated, whole-of-government response including direct contact with passengers, diplomatic coordination, and engagement with domestic and international health authorities.'
CDC added that the US government is using its premier health experts to guide its response to this evolving situation. 'We are working closely with our international partners to provide technical assistance and guidance to mitigate risk,' the agency added.
At this time, the risk to the American public is extremely low, according to CDC.
Meanwhile, a U.S. passenger on board the cruise ship has shared an emotional plea on social media.
'I am currently on board the MV Hondius, and what's happening right now is very real for all of us here,' Travel blogger Jake Rosmarin said in a video he posted on Instagram.
'We're not just a story, we're not just headlines, we're people. People with families, with lives, with people waiting for us at home,' he added.
'All we want right now is to feel safe, to have clarity, and to get home. So if you're seeing coverage about this, just remember that there are real people behind it, and that this isn't something happening far away. It's happening to us, right now.'
The Dutch-flagged cruise ship, which left Argentina on April 1, made port calls as it crossed the Atlantic with around 150 passengers and crew of 23 nationalities, including 17 Americans.
The luxury polar expedition vessel is anchored off the coast of Praia, Cape Verde, where its passengers remain unable to disembark. At least three people on board have been infected by the Andes strain of virus, which is capable of human-to-human transmission, although this is extremely rare. There have been five confirmed cases, three suspected cases, and three deaths, according to reports. The victims reportedly include a Dutch couple and a German woman.
The ship initially intended to dock in Spain's Canary Islands, and evacuate its passengers, but this was rejected by regional president Fernando Clavijo out of concerns for the islanders' safety.
Three more people were evacuated from the ship to the Netherlands, including the ship's doctor.
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