Bhattacharya urges calm over hantavirus as Americans affected are moved to 42-day isolation

Acting CDC Director Jay Bhattacharya said he does not expect the hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship to become a pandemic similar to COVID-19, and said the Americans who were on the ship have been taken to an isolation facility.

“This is, again, not like COVID, and the CDC has been working very closely with our international partners, our state and local partners,” Bhattacharya said on Fox News on Saturday morning.

So far, eight people have been diagnosed with the virus as part of the cluster linked to the ship. Three people have died. All have been diagnosed with the Andes strain of the virus, which researchers suspect can be transmitted via human contact.

Seventeen Americans were on board the ship and are being taken to Nebraska for treatment, according to the acting director.

“Had a great call with the governor of Nebraska this morning … it will be a