The CDC broke its silence over the weekend on the hantavirus cruise ship outbreak, Axios' Tina Reed reports.

• 18 passengers were being evacuated from the Canary Islands off northwestern Africa to the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

✈️ Two of that group, who'd been traveling together, were later transferred to the biocontainment unit at Emory University in Atlanta.

• One tested positive, but wasn't showing symptoms. The other had mild symptoms.

👩‍⚕️ Public health experts criticized the CDC for not updating the public sooner or sending investigators.

• Acting CDC director Jay Bhattacharya told Jake Tapper on CNN's "State of the Union" that the agency didn't want to treat the incident like COVID and cause a panic.
• An agency spokesperson tells Axios: "We posted a statement the other day and Jay has had several X posts. So it's inaccurate to say we haven't been communicating."

⛑️ The big picture: Infectious disease experts say a lack of info from U.S. officials underscored the nation's diminished global public health role.

• Amesh Adalja, senior scholar at Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, said in an interview with Axios: "How proactive would it be if it was more of a general public threat? How quickly could they respond?"

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Hollywood mogul Jeffrey Katzenberg, founding partner of the venture firm WndrCo, last week hosted his fifth annual WNDR conference, Axios' Dan Primack reports.

• The Santa Barbara gathering of around 150 top creators and CEOs usually flies under the radar — partially because there are no journalists, PR handlers or plus-ones.

🤳 This year, there've been some leaks and social media rumors.

• Axios obtained the full agenda and some on-the-ground details.

🦣 Colossal CEO Ben Lamm, whose company is trying to resurrect the woolly mammoth, brought an actual woolly mouse.

• Chris Rock couldn't attend, so his LEGO contest co-hosting spot was filled by fellow comic Nate Bargatze. Julia Roberts won, but there was no word on what her six-person table created.

🎬 James Cameron received a standing ovation after his talk.

• One of Joby Aviation's eVTOL "flying taxis" was on the Rosewood Miramar lawn.
• Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's session was almost entirely audience Q&A, with Mellody Hobson moderating.

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1. 🎸 A new Beatles fan experience is coming to London's 3 Savile Row, where the Fab Four recorded "Let It Be" and held their famous rooftop final show. Paul McCartney says the team has "put together some really impressive plans, and I'm excited for people to see it when it's ready." Go deeper.
2. ⛽️ President Trump endorsed suspending the federal gasoline tax in a CBS News interview today. Go deeper.
3. 🚙 Uber promoted Jill Hazelbaker, who has been with the company for nearly 11 years, to the new role of president and chief corporate affairs officer as it seeks to become the "everything app." Go deeper.
4. 📺 A primetime TV game show based on The New York Times' hit mobile game Wordle is coming to NBC, hosted by Savannah Guthrie. Teams will compete to solve five-letter word puzzles "in a high-energy, collaborative environment." More from Sara Fischer ... Read the announcement.

A donor surprised 200 graduating N.C. State students on Friday with a promise to erase their debt from the current school year, Axios Raleigh's Mary Helen Moore reports.

• Anil and Marilyn Kochhar's gift will benefit graduates at the school's Wilson College of Textiles.

🌎 Anil Kochhar told the new grads that at a time when the world is "faced with many challenges in medicine, sustainability, humanitarian relief, technology and beyond ... your education has given you the tools to meet these challenges with creativity and conviction."

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