OMAHA — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has placed 18 American passengers from the Hondius cruise ship under mandatory federal quarantine at the National Quarantine Unit in Omaha through May 31 following a hantavirus outbreak on board. The Americans were flown back to the United States after the ship returned to the Netherlands on Monday from an 8,500-mile journey that began in southern Argentina.

Up to 11 people contracted the Andes strain of hantavirus during the voyage, which carried almost 150 passengers on a sightseeing trip to remote locations. The Andes strain can be transmitted between people. Three passengers died earlier this month: a Dutch passenger died on board on April 11 and his body was removed at the Atlantic island of St. Helena, his wife died while traveling back to the Netherlands, and a German passenger died on board on May 2.

One of the quarantined Americans, a 30-year-old man from New York State, is being held at the Omaha facility for 42 days, the full incubation period for hantavirus. He asked not to be identified, citing concerns for his safety and harassment of other named passengers. He said he wants to be allowed to quarantine at home.

According to the man, a New York Health Department official contacted him upon his arrival to ask how they could assist him in quarantining at home. He said he and others became hopeful when health officials said they could strictly isolate at home. CDC staff later told the 18 Americans on a Zoom call that they could not leave quarantine, and that doing so would result in a formal quarantine order.

The man said he is dissatisfied with the outcome. "I'm very angry about it. I don't like being lied to," he said. He requested to see the legal documents prohibiting him from leaving and has since received two federal quarantine orders, the authenticity of which was confirmed by the CDC.

The orders state that the man is most at risk of developing symptoms during the first 21 days of the incubation period, which lasts until May 31, and that leaving quarantine before that date to isolate at home would potentially endanger public health. The orders do not specify whether individuals will be allowed to leave after May 31. One order states that violating it could result in a criminal fine or up to a year in jail.

The man said he and all 18 Americans at the National Quarantine Unit want to remain in isolation for the full 42-day period, and that some want to stay at the Omaha facility. Dr. David Fitter, incident manager for the agency's hantavirus response, said the facility is well suited for the quarantine. "It is a fantastic facility," Fitter said. "That is a great place for them to be able to do this, but also as we continue to coordinate the best monitoring for them."