Maha Christopher
A 47-year-old American woman exposed to hantavirus aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship says she is being unfairly prevented from returning home despite remaining symptom-free throughout her quarantine.
According to People, Angela Perryman is among the passengers affected by a hantavirus outbreak linked to the cruise vessel, which resulted in multiple infections and deaths earlier this year.
Perryman was one of 18 American passengers repatriated to the United States in May. While several passengers have since been allowed to complete their quarantine at home, she remains under monitoring at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.
Reports indicate that U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. signed an order on June 15 extending Perryman’s quarantine, citing concerns that she could still be infected despite showing no symptoms.
The decision came after a CDC medical reviewer reportedly recommended that Perryman be allowed to return to her home in Florida and complete the remainder of her six-week quarantine through daily remote monitoring and access to medical support if symptoms developed.
The CDC has stated that the remaining quarantined passengers are symptom-free and meet the criteria to safely continue monitoring from home.
Speaking to Today, Perryman said she believes she is caught in a dispute between federal and state authorities.
“I’m being held hostage,” she said.
Perryman also expressed frustration over being unable to return home after initially being told the quarantine was voluntary.
“I would not leave my house, even if I felt fine, much less if I thought I had the flu, which is known to be the early symptoms of this,” she said.
“If I am alone in a house, there is absolutely no way that somebody else can get this, so there is no danger to the broader level. There is no reason to be afraid.”
Meanwhile, Florida health officials have reportedly declined to implement the round-the-clock monitoring measures requested by federal authorities, arguing that existing public health practices are sufficient to protect both public safety and individual freedoms.
As of June 12, eight passengers linked to the outbreak remained in quarantine in Omaha while health authorities continued monitoring their condition.
