U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has ordered an American passenger exposed to hantavirus on a cruise ship to remain in quarantine against her will and despite medical advice, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The passenger, identified as 47-year-old Angela Perryman, was among 18 Americans quarantined in the U.S. earlier this year after cases of Andes hantavirus were detected aboard a cruise ship. The group was initially placed in a quarantine unit in Nebraska.
According to an official with the Department of Health and Human Services, the 42-day monitoring period was set to conclude on June 21 at midnight. The official stated that the remaining passengers at the quarantine unit were scheduled to leave Nebraska on June 22. This 42-day period began after their return to the United States on May 10.
Quarantine Terms Under Scrutiny
The situation has drawn attention as some passengers had reportedly been allowed to quarantine at home until June 22, provided local health officials arranged for monitoring by law enforcement or community health workers. This date represents 42 days after their arrival at the Nebraska facility.
HHS spokesperson Courtney Spencer told Reuters that Secretary Kennedy considered medical recommendations before deciding to continue the current order. Spencer added that in the absence of proper home monitoring by state authorities, the administration’s quarantine order was deemed necessary to protect both Ms. Perryman and the community.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a 42-day monitoring and quarantine period for individuals who have been identified as high-risk contacts after exposure to hantavirus.
Reports from The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times indicated that Perryman wished to return to her home in Florida, but the state declined to provide the necessary monitoring. The New York Times also reported that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated in a quarantine hearing that Perryman should be permitted to go home for the remainder of her quarantine period.
A CDC medical review, according to The Journal, suggested that the likelihood of Perryman developing symptoms was decreasing over time. Perryman herself reportedly informed both The Journal and The Times that a copy of an order from Secretary Kennedy was placed under her room door, informing her that she could not return home.
The order from Kennedy stated that, despite the doctor’s report, there was a reasonable belief that Perryman was infected with or exposed to the disease, The Journal reported.
Eight U.S. residents from the cruise ship MV Hondius had previously returned to their home states after three weeks of observation at the National Quarantine Unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Ten other individuals remained under observation at that time.
Steve Lopez is the Editorial Page Editor for News Raise. He covers Health. He has won more than a dozen national journalism awards for his reporting and column writing at seven newspapers and four news magazines.
