Jake Rosmarin, a Boston photographer and influencer, recounted the “really scary moment” when he learned the hantavirus was detected among fellow passengers aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius.
Rosmarin is one of the Americans currently quarantined in Omaha, Nebraska, after flying back to the U.S. from Spain. He has not tested positive for the virus and has experienced no symptoms.
“I’m feeling good, I got rest last night after a very long travel day the night before,” Rosmarin said in a video interview Tuesday on “TODAY.” “Yesterday was definitely a day for us all to rest here, just general intake for us. Yeah, I feel good right now. I’m happy to be in a place where we are well cared for and if anything happens we have the medical care we need.”
Rosmarin recalled what it was like when he first learned that hantavirus was detected on ship.
“I think like anyone, when you hear a virus you may not know about, you Google it, and you know, probably when you Google this virus, it’s some very scary statistics,” he said. “However, it is a virus that we do know about, and it took me some time over those coming days to do more research and learn more about it. But it was a scary time and I had a lot of up and down emotions, but I spent most of my time in my cabin.”
The ship had about 150 passengers and crew at the start of its journey, but 30 passengers disembarked in Saint Helena on April 24, according to a press update released May 7 by Oceanwide Expeditions, the operator of the cruise. Rosmarin was among those remained on the ship. Their next stop was Cape Verde, but authorities there denied the ship from docking after hantavirus was detected onboard.
“It was definitely a wave of emotions as we retrieved information, and I think it became more scary when we learned Cape Verde authorities weren’t allowing us to dock,” he said. “It wasn’t until we arrived in the Canary Islands and I was able to get off the ship that I felt a bit of relief.”
Passengers were allowed to disembark in the Canary Island and taken home to destinations around the world.
Rosmarin is being held in isolation at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. He said he spent most of the day Monday to speak with friends and family to let them know he was OK. He also plans on staying active by using the exercise bike in his room. He said those in quarantine are able to order out for food delivery.
Two passengers, a couple, were taken to Emory University Hospital in Atlanta after one person showed mild symptoms. The other 16 were taken to Nebraska, where 15 of them remain in quarantine units and one person is being held in a specialized biocontainment unit after HHS officials said the person tested “mildly positive” but was asymptomatic.
Rosmarin, a travel influencer with about 80,000 combined followers on Instagram and TikTok, gained national attention during the early days of the hantavirus outbreak after posting a social media video that showed him emotionally reacting to the situation aboard the cruise ship.
His first post a week ago was a statement confirming that he was on board the ship:
“For those who have seen recent news, yes, I am currently onboard the M/V Hondius,” he wrote. “Out of respect for those involved and the situation, I won’t be making any public comments at this time. I kindly ask that media inquiries are directed elsewhere for now. Thank you for understanding.”
In a video post several hours later, he tearfully shared additional details about the ordeal.
“I normally wouldn’t make a video like this, but I feel like I need to say something, so I wrote a few things down. I am currently on board the MV Hondius, and what’s happening right now is very real for all of us here. We’re not just a story, we’re not just headlines. We’re people, people with families, with lives, with people waiting for us at home,” he said. “There’s a lot of uncertainty, and that’s the hardest part. All we want right now is to feel safe, to have clarity and to get home, so if you’re seeing coverage about this, just remember that there are real people behind it and this isn’t something happening far away. It’s happening to us right now. I’ll share more when I can, but for now I just ask for your kindness and understanding. Thank you.”
In a third post later in the day, Rosmarin offered an apology of sorts, saying he didn’t mean to worry anyone and that everyone on board is doing OK.
“Right now, the priority is making sure those who are sick receive the care they need, as well as getting to a place where we can safely disembark and access medical support,” he wrote. “I also want to recognize that Oceanwide Expeditions and the entire crew have been handling a very difficult situation with care, and I’m really grateful for everything they’re doing. There’s still some uncertainty, but it’s reassuring to know there is a plan in place, and I hope to be able to share more updates soon. Thank you all so much for the love and support, it truly means more than I can put into words. For now, just taking things one step at a time, we will be okay.”
Hantavirus usually spreads from rodent droppings and is not easily transmitted between people. But the Andes virus detected in the cruise ship outbreak may be able to spread between people in rare cases. As of Tuesday, the World Health Organization said it has now confirmed 11 cases, including three people from the cruise who died.
“Let me be crystal clear: the risk of hantavirus to the general public remains very, very low. The Andes variant of this virus does not spread easily, and it requires prolonged close contact with someone who is already symptomatic,” Dr. Brian Christine, Department of Health and Human Services’ assistant secretary for health, said at Monday news conference.
Studies indicate hantaviruses have been around for centuries, with outbreaks documented in Asia and Europe. In the Eastern Hemisphere, it has been linked with hemorrhagic fever and kidney failure. It wasn’t until the early 1990s that a previously unknown group of hantaviruses emerged in the southwestern United States as the cause of an acute respiratory disease now known as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.
The disease gained attention last year after late actor Gene Hackman ’s wife, Betsy Arakawa, died from a hantavirus infection in New Mexico.
Symptoms — which can include fever, chills and muscle aches — usually show between one and eight weeks after exposure.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
More on the cruise ship hantavirus outbreak
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