Minnesota monitoring possible hantavirus exposure linked to cruise outbreak

The big picture: While public health officials aren't anticipating the next global pandemic, experts are closely tracking the outbreak of the rare but deadly virus on the MV Hondius.

• The Minnesotan who was potentially exposed overseas was not on the ship.

State of play: Seventeen Americans and a dual British-U.S. citizen who were aboard the ship were under quarantine at facilities in Atlanta and Nebraska as of early this week.

• One has tested positive, the CDC confirmed, and another was exhibiting symptoms.

Zoom out: Cases of the deadly virus, which typically spreads through exposure to infected rodents or their droppings, are incredibly rare.

• Just two — including one that was fatal — were reported in Minnesota between 1993 and 2023, per the CDC.

Between the lines: The latest outbreak has attracted extra attention because of evidence that it may have spread between humans on the ship.

• The variant in question can be transmitted person-to-person but is typically limited to cases involving close contact with a symptomatic person.

The bottom line: Michael Osterholm, director of the University of Minnesota's Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, told ABC News that the risk to the public remains low.

• But he's warned that the absence of a substantial response in the U.S. raises concerns about how prepared we are for future outbreaks.

Go Deeper: Why the hantavirus outbreak is different from the COVID-19 pandemic