Several outlets report that American travel blogger Jake Rosmarin is one of a group of passengers affected by a suspected hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius. Rosmarin was stranded on the cruise ship for an extended period and later released emotional accounts describing uncertain and difficult conditions while waiting for assistance. According to reporting, three people onboard the ship died, and others were reportedly sickened. Authorities arrange for certain passengers to be placed under medical observation after the deaths and illnesses, while officials publicly state that the risk to the wider South African public is minimal.
After the outbreak, Rosmarin and other Americans are flown back to the United States and placed in quarantine facilities for monitoring and possible treatment. CBS News says Rosmarin is quarantining at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, where he describes how the original trip length has stretched into a much longer period away from home. Across accounts, Rosmarin speaks of being confined separately and emphasizes that passengers are “real people” rather than just news headlines, while investigations continue into the cause of the deaths and illnesses connected to the cruise ship.
