13 cruise passengers exposed to coronavirus flown to Omaha

Officials help passengers off a plane to waiting vehicles at Eppley Airfield in Omaha, Neb., on Monday, Feb 17, 2020. American citizens who were on a cruise ship off Japan's coast who were at high risk of being exposed to the novel coronavirus were taken to the University of Nebraska Medical Center campus after landing. (Z Long/Omaha World-Herald via AP) Officials help passengers off a plane to waiting vehicles at Eppley Airfield in Omaha, Neb., on Monday, Feb 17, 2020. American citizens who were on a cruise ship off Japan's coast who were at high risk of being exposed to the novel coronavirus were taken to the University of Nebraska Medical Center campus after landing. (Z Long/Omaha World-Herald via AP)

By Associated Press February 17, 2020 2 min read

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Officials at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha said Monday they have received 13 people from a cruise ship in Japan who were part of a larger group of American citizens brought back to the U.S.

Chris Kratochvil, an executive director of the Global Center for Health Security at the medical center, said 12 of the people are in quarantine. They currently have no symptoms of the coronavirus.

One man is in a biocontainment unit to receive a higher level of care because he had a cough and other symptoms in addition to another chronic illness that places him at higher risk for complications.

All the travelers will remain at the university hospital for at least 14 days.

The new patients came as 57 US evacuees continued to be quarantined at a Nebraska National Guard training base just southwest of Omaha.