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U.S. Hospital Receives Passengers From Hantavirus-Hit Ship; Health Officials: 16 United States Cruise Passengers In Nebraska, Two In Georgia; How Iran May Be Linked To Antisemitic Attacks; Rage-Bait MAGA Influencer Targets Gay Couple. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired May 11, 2026 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[10:00:28]
ANNOUNCER: Live from Abu Dhabi. This is CONNECT THE WORLD with Becky Anderson.
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN ANCHOR: I want to get you straight to a Nebraska hospital where officials are speaking after receiving passengers from that
cruise ship hit by a hantavirus outbreak. Let's listen in.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GOV. JIM PILLEN (R-NE): Professionals, both federal, state and local, who have burnt the midnight oil and worked extensively in the last days to have
a safe transfer of the American passengers from the Canary Islands to their arrival in the great state of Nebraska here in Omaha. It's been a highly
coordinated effort many agencies, one that has gone incredibly smoothly. It's due to outstanding communication and coordination of everyone
involved, and I simply want to acknowledge and be grateful for their incredible hard work.
The passengers who are here at UNMC are going to receive nothing but world class care. It's a guarantee. You can take it to the bank.
This is not the first time Nebraska has been called upon to provide the facilities and care that's required critical medical situations like this
arise.
As governor of the extraordinary state of Nebraska, it makes me proud to know that these capabilities exist in our state, and that we can provide
the assistance when it's needed. And I know all of my fellow Nebraskans are as well.
As I could speak directly to the passengers who are now calling Nebraska and UNMC home for the coming days, we're glad that you're here, and we're
going to ensure that you have the best world class care possible.
We know it's been very difficult for you in an arduous journey, one that will keep you away from your friends and your loved ones a little while
longer, but you can be assured the medical staff at UNMC are highly trained and compassionate, extraordinarily compassionate caregivers, and whatever
they are and we can do make your stay as comfortable as possible, we will do.
We have walked hand in hand with our federal partners, from the White House to Secretary Kennedy to the CDC and all of their great teams. I am
satisfied, and Nebraskans can be that the rest of America can be satisfied that there is a strong plan in place and to ensure the folks are secure for
their initial assessment, and we are working diligently to ensure no one leaves this security in an unsecured way at an inappropriate time, no one
who poses a risk to public health is walking out the front door of the streets of Omaha or beyond.
Again, I simply want to say thank you again, Dr. Gold, to you and your team and all of our federal partners and state and local agencies that have all
had a hand in facilitating and make an impact on getting Americans back home. Thank you.
JEFFREY GOLD, CHANCELLOR, NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER: Thank you, Governor, and it is now a pleasure to provide some more information specifically on the
operations, on the condition of the passengers. I'd like to introduce Admiral Brian Christine. Admiral Christine is the Assistant Secretary for
Health of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Admiral.
ADM. BRIAN CHRISTINE, ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR HEALTH, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES: Well, good morning, and thank you all for being here.
Thank you especially to our partners at the Administration for strategic preparedness and response. Thank you to Nebraska Medicine and thank you to
the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Thank you all for your leadership and your readiness in this response.
At the Department of Health and Human Services, our approach is grounded in science, it's grounded in coordination and it's grounded in transparency.
This is a whole of government effort across federal, state and local partners who are all working together to ensure the safety of the American
people.
And let me be clear, 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.
[10:05:07]
Even so, we have taken this situation very seriously from the very start. We have taken it seriously across HHS and particularly through the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention, and I'm proud to see many of my US Public Health Service officers have been actively engaged in the response.
The CDC rapidly activated its emergency operations center. It deployed medical teams to assess passengers, and coordinated closely with
international partners. They have notified state health departments. They have initiated monitoring of potentially exposed individuals, and they have
issued clinical guidance through the Health Alert Network. They have also brought together national partners through coordination calls. They've
developed tools and resources to support public health decision making, and they -- and they have ensured that both clinicians and the public have
clear, timely information. Transparency has been and is the order of the day.
And now, with the safe arrival of these U.S. citizens here in Nebraska, CDC teams are working side by side with Asper, with UNMC and with state and
local officials to conduct assessments and provide ongoing monitoring and care this.
This is what strong public health system looks like, experienced professionals, seamless coordination and a shared commitment to protecting
the American people. We will continue to follow the science, we will stay vigilant, and we will keep the public informed every step of the way. As I
said, transparency is the order of the day.
Thank you. Thank you for being here. God bless you. God bless the state of Nebraska and God bless our republic. Thank you.
GOLD: Thank you so much for those words. And now it is my pleasure to introduce Mr. John Knox, who's the principal deputy assistant secretary
administration for strategic preparedness and response in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and he will give us an update on
planning and as we move forward.
MR. JOHN KNOX, PRINCIPAL DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY ADMINISTRATION FOR STRATEGIC PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN
SERVICES: Thank you, Dr. Gold, and thank you everyone for being here today.
As mentioned, I'm John Knox. I'm the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the administration for strategic preparedness and response.
I'll start by noting that what you're all seeing here today is a true partnership and a demonstration between public and private partnerships. As
all of you are aware last night, with the coordination of multiple federal agencies and in partnership state officials, HHS supported the Department
of State in a safe repeat repatriation of 18 U.S. citizens from the MV Hondius.
This is a coordinated whole of government effort to safely return Americans home while protecting public health. Passengers were transported via
Department of State Plane from the Canary Islands to Nebraska with appropriate medical capabilities on board. HHS has worked with the State
Department from the start for a seamless transfer back into the United States.
Upon arrival, they were transferred here to the University of Nebraska Medical Center. UNMC was selected as the U.S. entry point due to its
extensive expertise in handling special pathogens, and it's the only national quarantine unit in the country. It is one of Asper's 13 Regional
Emerging Special Pathogen Centers, also known as RESPTCs that are within the national special pathogens system.
Asper has established this system over the years to prepare for high consequence infectious disease outbreaks with trained personnel ready to
safely manage situations like this. Asper's mission is to protect the health security of Americans, and this response reflects the strength of
national of the national preparedness system.
As mentioned by others here this morning, over the next several days, passengers will undergo an initial health assessment and receive guidance
on next steps from the CDC experts and other partners. This event reflects our ability to coordinate across federal, state and local partners when the
health of any American is on the line.
So, at this point, I'm going to turn it back to Dr. Gold to continue. Thank you.
GOLD: Well, thank you. Secretary Knox, we have several people here, as of course, you can see. Just to introduce them quickly, we have Brendan
Jackson. Dr. Jackson is from the Centers of Disease Control and Acting Director of the Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology.
We have Captain Michael Gardner, also from Aspers, the Regional Administrator, Region Seven of the Mission Field Operations.
We have Matthew Ferrara, who's a DVM and is a HHS counselor. We have Dr. Michael Wadman here from the University of Medical Center and Nebraska
Medicine and is the director of the National Quarantine Unit.
We have Dr. Angela Hewlett, who is the Medical Director of the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit.
We have Dr. Dele Davies, who is the Interim Chancellor of the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
Dr. Michael Ash, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Nebraska Medicine. And by the way, thank you for hosting us.
And we have Dr. Ashley Neumeier, the Director of Public Health for the state of Nebraska.
[10:10:55]
And before I take your questions, I just want to say that UNMC and Nebraska Medicine are very honored to have this responsibility to repatriate these
American citizens. There is no place in the country that they could be better cared for more safely and more effectively.
As the governor said, it is the people of the state of Nebraska, and indeed, here, in this microcosm, it is the people of UNMC and of Nebraska
Medicine that really make a difference to truly lead the world.
And today, as you're all gathered here, there is no other place in the country where they could be more safely and more humanistically cared for.
We have a very simple rule here. And having served as the Chancellor of the Med Center for more than a decade of my life, if we treat our patients the
way we would treat family members and loved ones, we're going to be OK, and that's the rule.
So, with that, we're very willing to take your questions. There are microphones that we will pass around. If you do have a question, I will
recognize you, and there are some folks who are carrying the microphones just to be sure that everybody can hear your question. And if there's a
specific individual that you want to address it to, that's fine, or we can just have volunteers, so.
WAVERLE MONROE, KETV REPORTER: Hi, Waverle Monroe with KETV. Just wanted to talk a little bit about AP confirmed overnight that there was a person who
was experiencing symptoms but may have not been tested positive for hantavirus. Can you talk a little bit more about that, and is that person
at the National quarantine unit, or is that person at the Nebraska biocontainment unit?
DR. BRENDAN JACKSON, ACTING DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF HIGH CONSEQUENCE PATHOGENS AND PATHOLOGY: That's right, and so part of the decision was to
make sure that they preserve space within the biocontainment unit here make sure there's adequate care for anyone who might need it among the other
passengers, other patients were -- sorry, passengers were flown to Atlanta for further assessment and care there.
MONROE: So, that person is not here?
JACKSON: Correct.
MONROE: OK, thank you.
GOLD: So, again, just to be very clear on that point, we want to maintain optimal space in our bio containment facilities on the small chance that it
becomes necessary to use that space given the individuals who are transported.
JACKSON: If you don't mind, I just love to add that we're going to expect to see people have symptoms. That's just, you know, if you think, in any
given week or month, how many times do you experience some level of nasal congestion or upset stomach or something? We're being very, very liberal in
how we're framing symptoms and monitoring for symptoms here, and so that's how the system is working. It doesn't necessarily mean just necessarily
mean just because someone has symptoms that they're going to end up having this illness.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Go ahead, since you have the mic.
DIANNE GALLAGHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Dianne Gallagher, CNN. Could you clarify first, then how many of the passengers who were on the plane from
the cruise are here, and how many have been moved to another facility in the country?
GOLD: Yes, go ahead.
JACKSON: I can just address that briefly. So, of the 18, 16 are -- 16 passengers are here, and two are in Atlanta.
GALLAGHER: And the bio containment unit, we have the one who had the mildly positive PCR test. Can you explain a little bit more about mildly positive.
I initially thought that we were not testing people who were not symptomatic. I know they said this person was not symptomatic. Can you go
into a little bit more about what it means to me mildly positive?
JACKSON: Sure, and I'd welcome my colleagues from the University of Nebraska to weigh in on as well. But I'll note that so this passenger, this
was -- this test was not collected in the United States. That specimen was collected back, I believe, in one of the islands was taken on the ship.
There were two specimens, one was positive, and the other one was negative.
You know, with these PCR tests, it's not necessarily -- like, even though there's a sort of exact cut off, there's sort of a range in where they can
fall. And so, for that reason, we want to, just want to make sure there's further testing to evaluate that at this point more.
[10:15:10]
GALLAGHER: And are the two individuals who stayed here, one of whom is in the bio containment unit. Did they have prolonged contact with each other?
And that's why they're both here or what was the -- I guess, the idea behind moving the 16 to other parts of the country?
JACKSON: Sorry. So, 16 people are here, and that's for all the reasons that was mentioned. Can you repeat again what your question was related to that?
GALLAGHER: I guess then the two who were moved, what was the reasoning behind moving them beside? Was it just space? Or were they traveling
together? Are we keeping people together? Since this is a prolonged contact transmission.
JACKSON: Got it. It may be helpful for you all to explain the difference between the sections within University of Nebraska Medical Center as well.
MICHAEL WADMAN, MEDICAL DIRECTOR, U.S. NATIONAL QUARANTINE UNIT: Sure. I'm Mike Wadman. I'm an emergency physician and the Medical Director of the --
of the Quarantine Unit.
We welcomed 15 passengers to the quarantine unit early this morning. One passenger did go to the b biocontainment unit, and I'll let Dr. Hewlett
address that patient. The 15 that were welcomed here were in good shape. They were in good spirits. They definitely were tired and needed some rest.
So, we did a quick assessment. We brought him into the unit. Very smooth and successful, safe transfer, a lot of coordination between our teams
here.
And I'd like to thank our nurses and techs in the biocontainment unit, as well as all the administrative support that we have for this, and also our
federal, state and local partners. It's a definitely a well coordinated activity, and really proud to be a part of that team.
Once they're in the unit, we've been doing symptom monitoring as well as temperature checks. Everyone here is asymptomatic and afebrile and do not
have a temperature at this time. They're all resting now, and we'll do further assessments later in the day, once they've had a chance to sleep.
But that's where we're at with it now.
But all asymptomatic, all very grateful to be here, and we're just waiting for them to rest up, and then we'll do the further assessment.
But to be clear, as far as Nebraska Medicine, we have 15 patients in quarantine, and we've got one patient in the biocontainment unit.
JACKSON: Maybe just explain the difference between the two a bit more, if that's helpful,
ANGELA HEWLETT, MEDICAL DIRECTOR, NEBRASKA BIOCONTAINMENT UNIT: Sure. So, in the -- and I'm Angela Hewlett. I'm an infectious disease physician, and
I'm the Medical Director of the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit.
And so, with our two facilities, our quarantine unit is designed for well individuals who need to be monitored. It is not a patient care space. It is
much more like a hotel than a patient care space. We don't have the typical things that you'd see in a hospital room. It's a much more comfortable
environment, actually, with some things that to help keep people comfortable, like exercise equipment, and it's a larger space, you know,
T.V.s and things like that.
The biocontainment unit is a patient care space, and that's our unit, which is also located on this campus, and that's where we provide hospital-based
care to people who need it. And those patients could range from being, you know, relatively well and stable, to critically ill, requiring multiple
procedures and multiple interventions.
And so, we do have one individual who, as you know, was taken to the biocontainment unit early this morning, and I'm happy to report that we
assess that individual, they are doing well actually. They currently do not have any symptoms and have a good appetite, although they're very --
they're very tired, understandably, but it's been a really long journey for these folks.
And so, again, everything appears to be going very smoothly. I'm really proud of how our team responded and how we all kind of came together to
execute this very complicated, you know, transfer of multiple different individuals into these different units.
JACKSON: So, I might just underscore that it was, it's a contingency planning reason. They want to make sure that if other of the people that
are sort of in the more residential side of that need potential medical care. There is space available, and so by moving other people who may have
symptoms to another location, it makes sure there's that space to care for them.
WADMAN: Right. And then those are the preliminary conversations. Planning that we had in terms of bringing in a number of individuals for quarantine.
Is when those patients develop symptoms or test positive. What is the contingency plan? Because biocontainment capacity would not be able to
accommodate 16, you know, persons who would turn positive and turn into inpatients.
So, those conversations look at patients that may be identified early and travel to other biocontainment centers across the country, which is what
happened in this case. Or, you know, if we have quarantined patients here and they have symptoms positive testing, where those would be decanted to
if they were stable or would go to our biocontainment unit, and all those contingency plans are in place. And the example of the two passengers
traveled on to Emory is an example of that.
[10:20:09]
CAMILA BERNAL, NBC NEWS CORRESPONDENT: So, two things. Camila Bernal with NBC News, how long do you anticipate people to stay here and do they have a
choice to leave, or are they being told you have to stay here for a particular amount of time?
And then, in terms of the two passengers that are in Atlanta, same question, how long are they anticipating to have to stay in this facility
in Atlanta? And also, that the one in Atlanta has symptoms, is the second person a partner? Just more clarity on why there is that separation between
the patients in Atlanta and the patients here.
JACKSON: It's a great question about the plan in terms of where things will happen. So, right now, the folks, the passengers, that are all in the sort
of assessment phase, they're going to be here for at least a few days while we do assessments and then coordination from what happens next. They
certainly have the option to stay here for the entire 42-day period if that's just the safest and most affection effective option for them,
there's going to be an individualized decision plan for them to determine if it makes more sense for them to complete their 42-day monitoring period
at home.
And there's going to be a couple of things that go into that decision. First and foremost, do they remain symptom free? But then also, do they
have all the structures and support to be able to be continue that period at home, making sure that they can be able to isolate in a separate part of
structure from anybody else, make sure that they can contact their health department, get tested if necessary if they develop symptoms, or if they
need a higher level of medical care that that's available to them.
So, there's a range of structures that need to be in place before anyone would be transferred to their home, and that would be done in close
coordination with the health department in the states that would be receiving them.
BERNAL: Ultimately, though, will it be their decision?
JACKSON: Yes, we want to do this in the most -- in the least restrictive way possible that is still safe, that protects the health and safety both
the passengers and their communities.
BERNAL: And then in terms of the patients in Atlanta.
ASHLEY NEUMEIER, DIRECTOR, PUBLIC HEALTH FOR NEBRASKA: I just wanted to make a brief comment. So, I'm Ashley Neumeier, Director of Public Health
for Nebraska. Our partnership with the federal -- with our federal partners has been tremendous, as it has been with Nebraska Medicine and UNMC.
But I do want to just reiterate, as the governor made a comment here earlier, that we are here also to make sure that there's a structure in
place to make sure that no one poses a public health threat.
I do -- you know, as we are -- as the team is assessing and monitoring the individuals, we understand that there is -- we want -- they've been through
an unimaginable experience already, and we know there's that human element, but we also want to make sure that there is a structure in place. Safety is
number one across the board here.
But I'm -- we are here to make sure that there is no public health risk, so.
GOLD: Yes, and we've been reassured that in event that one of these individuals who is asymptomatic chooses to finish their period of
observation elsewhere in their home, or elsewhere, wherever that may be, that they will be escorted under the very appropriate circumstances, from
endpoint to starting point.
CHRISTINE: I just want to reiterate what Ashley was saying. What you're seeing is a coordination from Washington to the state to the local levels,
with the governor, with here at UNMC, this is what true public health care looks like.
It's important for the administration. It's certainly important for Secretary Kennedy that we work together, that there are no silos or walls
between us. This is how public health should work. This is how it is working. And I think this is a perfect example of how we are coordinating,
how we are speaking, how we are interfacing and doing things together for the good of the nation, certainly the good of the people of Nebraska, and
the good of the individuals who have been repatriated here.
BERNAL: And then the patients in Atlanta, are they quarantining there as well? Is there a reason other than space as to why they're there? Any
explanation as to the separation?
JACKSON: Nothing more to add, there would be evaluation of symptoms there, and then next steps would be similar to what happens here.
BERNAL: And they're quarantining as well?
JACKSON: They're in under medic -- under medical evaluation right now, similar.
KAILEY SCHUYLER, FOX NEWS CHANNEL REPORTER: Hi. Kailey Schuyler with Fox News back here. If one of the patients who's currently located here in
Nebraska were to test positive, would they remain here? And is it always a six-ish week quarantine, or can it vary?
GOLD: Hi, I was just going to -- I'll start off by saying that is why we've maintained space in the biocontainment unit, an event that becomes. Was
necessary, and how a lot would depend upon if that was the only individual, or if there were multiple individuals that would get us to capacity of the
BCU. And if that occurred, we would work with our federal partners very closely and make sure that they were transported to another facility that
had the capability.
[10:25:18]
JACKSON: Sorry, I was just going to add on the 42-day monitoring period. The reason for that is that's sort of the -- that's the maximum incubation
period that's been seen for the Andes virus. So, the incubation period is at the time from when someone was exposed to when they develop symptoms.
That's really at the very, very long and much. Most people who are who end up infected with this virus will develop symptoms much sooner than that. So
that's a conservative time frame, and that's the number we're using.
I'll note this is a much longer incubation period than we see for a lot of other viruses, but typical for hantaviruses.
IAN LEE, CBS NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Ian Lee with CBS News. You mentioned this incubation period being so long, we know that there are some Americans who
already traveled back to the United States or in their communities. How can you guarantee that they don't have the virus? And can you guarantee that
when people leave here, that they will not be carrying the virus.
JACKSON: You'd like me to take that question?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Certainly.
JACKSON: There has been contact made with all of those passengers who returned. The state health departments have been monitoring them on a daily
basis, including symptoms and temperature checks. They have plans in place to make sure that they can isolate effectively in their home should they
develop symptoms. If they are developing symptoms, they have ways to get tested safely and to make sure that they're not going to spread it to
others.
Again, based on what we know about this virus and this again, I want to emphasize this is not a brand-new virus. This is a virus even though it's
new to many of us. It is a virus that has been known for decades now, and there's been outbreaks that have been dealt with in other countries, and
even here in the United States, this is not the first time we've had Andes virus in the United States before. The data that we have now all suggests
that transmission that's spread between people happens when people are symptomatic.
And so, I think that gives us -- when they have symptoms, and so that gives us one layer of added protection to know when the risk is going to be
greatest and how we can best protect the health and safety of the passenger and the American public.
LEE: Can you give us more details about those other Americans? What kind of procedures are they undergoing? Are they in quarantine as well? What
medical treatment are they receiving?
JACKSON: So, they're not receiving medical treatment when they are not symptomatic, and it would only be for evaluation or testing and or if
symptoms progressed, and they were to require it if it would turned out to be positive or neither needed care for something else.
They are -- again, they're following the recommendations that we have in our overall guidance for this daily monitoring and contingency planning.
LEE: And when it comes to testing, there was one person who's asymptomatic and they tested positive. With this testing, can you test everyone and just
see if they have the virus? And this person who has symptoms, have they been tested? Are they confirmed positive with the virus?
JACKSON: So, when it comes to testing, actually, we'll defer to my colleagues at University of Nebraska to discuss their plans on testing. The
traditional way of managing hantavirus testing has been that you really focus on testing people who are symptomatic, who are having symptoms.
That's the current stance right now. But clearly, we're going to keep reevaluating this as we learn more about this virus. And I'll turn it over
to my colleague here.
HEWLETT: I mean, we're in the process of evaluating all of the individuals, and as was mentioned, we're giving them a little bit of a rest period now,
just given their ordeal. And then we are going to go back and jointly with our federal partners, ask questions about their exposure and get a lot more
information from that individual. And then we will make individualized decisions on testing based on those conversations.
The individual in the bio containment unit will be tested, and that's only because that individual did have this kind of equivocal positive test
previously, not in the United States, and so we will be testing that individual, but the individuals in the quarantine unit, that will be a
conversation, and a lot of conversations between us and those individuals that are in the unit now.
GOLD: And just to add to that, in partnership with the Nebraska public health lab and the university, we've developed and validated the necessary
testing so that can all be done here and done quickly. And it's a PCR test.
GALLAGHER: If I can follow on what you were just saying about the individual in the biocontainment unit. Has that person developed or shown
any symptoms since they've been here? And do we know if there is any evidence that this could be transmitted by someone who is asymptomatic? I
know that's not typically what happens, but is there evidence that that could happen?
HEWLETT: So, first question, are the individual is doing well and not having any symptoms at this time, but again, just arrived a few hours ago,
and so that will be an ongoing assessment, and we will continue to ask those questions and ensure that that they remain asymptomatic.
[10:30:05]
And second question was about transmitting without symptoms.
So, there are a lot of unknowns here. But as was mentioned earlier, it seems that with this -- with hantavirus, the specific Andes virus, that it
-- this can be transmitted person to person, but it typically does require very close contact, and typically, when those individuals are symptomatic.
Now, again, recognizing that, like I said, although this is, you know, there are some unknowns. And this is not a -- not a new virus, this is not
the scenario that we encountered with COVID, where we had a brand new -- brand new virus.
So, there is some information known about Andes virus, and we feel fortunate to at least have that. But again, these -- this will be an
ongoing assessment. There are a lot of moving parts right now, but we'll do our best to take care of the individuals, both in the quarantine unit and
in the bio containment unit, and make sure they receive the best care.
And -- go ahead.
DR. DELE DAVIES, INTERIM CHANCELLOR, UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER: Just to make sure that we reiterate that even here at the quarantine
center, the rooms have negative pressure, so that the virus cannot leave the room generally, and then, the ventilation is separate from the rest of
the building. Goes right out, and then it's filtered through high efficiency particulate air filters.
So, the risk to the general public for those patients who are here, even if they were to become symptomatic, is very, very minimal to none.
HEWLETT: Yes. And just to add on to that, also, we are doing everything in our power to protect our health care workers who are wearing appropriate
protective equipment, both in the bio containment unit and in the national quarantine unit as well.
GALLAGHER: And just for clarification, especially you mentioned there were a lot of people who I'm sure, harkens back to, six years ago, who were
watching this, what is the definition of very close contact? What does that mean?
HEWLETT: I may let our public health partners answer that a little more definitively. They are asking the definition of very close contact and what
you would consider. And the reason I bring that up is because there are some guidelines that just came out on this.
JACKSON: Right. So, there is -- there is guidance that you can look to specifically on our web site about close contact, and how that defines
exposures. Typically, we are talking about exposure to specifically to body -- bodily fluids. And then, that could include things like saliva.
So, if you are sharing, eating utensils, kissing, touching, those type of things, it can also mean just being really, really close to that -- to that
person for a fairly long period of time. So, we are -- we are calling that six -- right now, six feet, for at least a cumulative number of 15 minutes.
I want to be clear, there is nothing magical about six feet. It's not a force field, but it's a rough number that gives us a sense of how close
somebody has been. 15 minutes, again, it's a bit arbitrary, but it again, gives some sense of how close someone has been.
I think that's actually a fairly conservative approach, given how we know how the evidence we should have so far about how this virus has spread in
the past.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have one clarification --
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: So, with the arrival of 16 of the 18 U.S. passengers repatriated from the hantavirus ship to U.S. hospital there in Obama -- in Obama -- in
Omaha, Nebraska. Officials at this news conference today saying 15 of those 16 passengers are in quarantine. One is in the bio containment unit. At
present, all are asymptomatic.
Officials said two other passengers from the ship are in a unit in Atlanta. One of those is symptomatic. The assistant secretary of health at the HHS
speaking there. He said the risk of hantavirus to the general public remains very, very low.
We also heard from the governor of Nebraska. He said, not for the first time, the state had been called on in a critical medical situation. He
said, we will ensure patients have world class care. To those patients, he said, we know this has been an arduous journey.
He said, I am satisfied that there is a strong plan in place to ensure that patients are secure and that no one who poses a risk will be leaving the
hospital.
We'll have more on this story later, of course, including Melissa Bell. In fact, I've got her now. She is in Tenerife, very close to the MV Hondius,
where that is anchored off shore. We have just been hearing from U.S. officials, global health officials from the Canary Islands, where you are,
as well. The Nebraska officials that we have just heard from.
They have been unified in a message of very low risk. Don't panic. That's what you have been hearing all along. Correct?
MELISSA BELL, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right, really, this is not the flu. This is not COVID. And also, what we are hearing, and
we heard just then again, from this press conference in Nebraska, is similar to what we have been hearing from the World Health Organization,
Becky, which is that this particular outbreak of the Andes virus -- of the hantavirus, the center of which that ship was, has been being studied by
officials, even as it's being contained.
[10:35:05]
So, for instance, we were just hearing there about the American patients, the one in the bio containment unit.
Now, this is a passenger who'd been very closely monitored even when he was still here on the MV Hondius. And that's because, and we have heard this
from Spanish health authorities earlier today and yesterday, he'd believed to have been in very close contact with some of those passengers who
tragically died as a result of this virus.
And what we know now, when health officials are discovering about the propagation, the transmission of this particular strain, is that it
requires one person being symptomatic and the other in very close proximity.
This is very different to what you will remember from COVID times, when you could be asymptomatic and still transmitting COVID. This doesn't work that
way.
So, this particular passenger, now in the bio containment unit, had had a couple of tests while he was still on the ship.
One had been a false positive, one had been a negative, but he would been being watched. And when they were brought ashore yesterday, he and one
other had been kept away from the other American passengers.
So, all of these passengers have been very carefully tracked all along and kept in the right circumstances to ensure that there was minimal contact
with any of the other passengers being removed from the ship.
Now, the other interesting thing about this particular passenger and the fact that he is now in a bio containment unit and a suspected positive in
the United States, just as we have been hearing about the French patient who fell ill on the flight back to Paris yesterday, and has now been
confirmed as a positive, both of those patients, what's interesting is the length of the incubation period. This is another side aspect of this
particular strain of the hantavirus, is that it incubates for a long time.
So, these are people who have been on the ship for the last five weeks. They are now in their home countries. Any contacts they will have had with
some of the deceased would have proceeded when the virus was identified on May the 2nd, and it's taken all that time for it to begin showing in terms
of symptoms, and that's an added difficulty in containing this virus.
But the more it goes, the more confident they are that they understand how it functions, even as they are fairly sure that they have managed to keep
everyone they need to keep isolated or contained or in quarantine in exactly those circumstances.
So, again, to the point we were hearing here on the dock side from Spanish health authorities, they believe that this has been a remarkably successful
operation, not just logistically, in getting people out, but in coordinating between all of these different national and international
health bodies to ensure the safety of the wider population and that this outbreak is contained to that ship. Becky.
ANDERSON: And a similar story about the coordination in the states from officials that we have just heard from there at that press conference in
Nebraska. Melissa, thank you.
We are going to take a very quick break. You are watching CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson. Stay with us. Back after this.
[10:40:23]
ANDERSON: Welcome back. You are watching CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson. These are your headlines this hour.
Iran is calling its latest counter-proposal to end the war with the U.S., generous. The foreign ministry responded after U.S. President Donald Trump
described Iran's plan is totally unacceptable.
Iranian state media reports Tehran wants sanctions lifted and recognition of Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.
More passengers are leaving the cruise ship at the center of the hantavirus outbreak, after it docked in Spain's Canary Islands.
In the past few hours, it's been revealed, a French woman, who was onboard the cruise ship at the center of that outbreak has tested positive. It
brings the total number of confirmed cases now to seven.
Well, Russia's President Vladimir Putin presided over a pared back Victory Day parade on Saturday. The ceremony coincided with the beginning of a
three-day cease fire between Russia and Ukraine.
Synagogue, schools, small businesses, ambulances run by volunteers. Those are just some of the Jewish sites struck by arson attacks across the U.K.
and Europe in recent months. Many of them claimed by the same shadowy online group with possible links to Iran-backed paramilitaries.
But who is carrying out these terrifying attacks, and how are these attackers being recruited?
CNN's Jomana Karadsheh has this shocking investigation.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): 17 claims of attacks targeting mostly Jewish sites in seven weeks. We have been
investigating Iran's possible links to these incidents. An investigation that has led us to a stunning discovery of something so sinister that, as
we'll show you, is happening right in the open.
KARADSHEH: They are asking me if I have access to Zionist individuals or assets.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was just a matter of time that one of our communities was going to come under attack.
KARADSHEH: We saw him taken away by an ambulance.
KARADSHEH (voice over): Days after the war in Iran began, fire bomb and arson attacks hit buildings, including synagogues, Jewish centers, and
schools in Europe.
A previously unheard-of group, calling itself Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al- Islamiyah, the Islamic movement of the companions of the righteous claim the attacks in not so sophisticated videos and statements.
We found that the claims seem to first appear on these Telegram channels that are associated with Iranian-backed Iraqi groups.
A source close to Kata'ibHezbollah, the most powerful of Iraqi Shia paramilitary groups that works closely with the IRGC, confirmed to us its
links to Ashab al-Yamin and told us some of its members are Iraqi.
Security experts believe the group is just a front for the IRGC. British counterterrorism police are investigating Iran's potential links to the
London attacks and whether the regime may be hiring criminal proxies to carry them out, possibly recruiting people online.
KARADSHEH): When you think of online recruitment by foreign intelligence services, you might assume that something happening in the deep, dark
corners of the Internet. But take a look at what we found.
KARADSHEH (voice over): This Telegram channel in English and Hebrew, called VIP Employment, says it's recruiting, quote, high paid agents, it claims
for Iranian intelligence. If you are ready to take the next step, it says, hit the start button.
Undercover, producer Flo and I started two separate chats, exchanging direct messages over several days with these accounts.
FLORENCE DAVEY-ATTLEE, CNN INTERNATIONAL FIELD PRODUCER: So, my conversation begins with someone calling themselves Sina.
They quickly asked me lots of questions about myself, trying to get to know me. And then, they assigned me a task, two posters, anti-Trump, anti-war
posters. They asked me to film myself putting them up on the streets of London and offer me $2 per poster paid in crypto.
And later, on the conversation, they seem to coach me on how to avoid CCTV cameras. Do it in a place where there are no surveillance cameras, they
say.
At one point, I question, how can I confirm you are Islamic Republic intelligence, as you say you are, and they say the work I assigned you is
against the policies of the filthy Zionist regime and America.
KARADSHEH: With me, they get straight into it. What are my capabilities? What action can you take against Zionist individuals or assets? Do you have
access to specific individuals or information, they ask.
[10:45:07]
I ask, what they mean by access to specific individuals or information? People who work in security and military agencies such as the Shin Bet, the
army, and the Mossad, they say.
And I asked them if they are only recruiting people in Israel? They said, no, we can hire anyone who can harm Israeli interests or individuals.
KARADSHEH (voice over): And with those words, we decided to end the conversation there. But others appear to have taken the bait. We found VIP
employment, a channel with the same name is alleged to have been used to recruit Israelis to spy for Iran.
Referenced in this indictment and other official documents. The Israeli men were given initiation tasks very similar to the one we were given by the
Telegram account.
From there, prosecutors say the men were tasked with filming government and military sites in exchange for money.
One of them, an IDF reservist, was even offered more than $30,000 to assassinate his commander. We can't confirm any links between VIP
employment and the recent anti-Semitic attacks in Europe. But the one thing they seem to have in common is Iran.
Here in the U.K., the wave of attacks has left the small Jewish community feeling more vulnerable than ever. One of the group's targets in London,
the Kenton United synagogue, attacked, they claimed for being, "a center" of Zionist influence, and its rabbi, a key instrument of Zionism.
RABBI YEHUDA BLACK, RABBI, KENTON UNITED SYNAGOGUE, LONDON: Just take you in here.
KARADSHEH: Oh, the smell.
BLACK: Yes, it's quite -- it's quite pungent, isn't it. And you can actually -- you can --
(CROSSTALK)
KARADSHEH: Still smell the fire days after.
BLACK: 10 days after, and it's still quite pungent, isn't it.
They came from the outside. Smashed its window in and they threw a fire bomb in here. You can see the damage that that's been caused.
KARADSHEH: Wow. I mean, how did you feel when you walked in and you saw this?
BLACK: I was really upset, obviously. I mean, it's only a medical room. I mean, we can replace it, we can -- we redecorate it and everything else.
But what could have transpired, that is really hard, you know.
KARADSHEH (voice over): With anti-Semitism at record highs worldwide, Rabbi Black says the attacks were shock, but not a surprise.
BLACK: My biggest concern is that it has to stop. People have to realize that what's happening elsewhere is happening elsewhere. But what's
happening over here is plain anti-Semitism.
KARADSHEH (voice over): A 17-year-old British national pleaded guilty to arson without endangering life. In a written statement, he apologized, he
said he has nothing against the Jewish people, and said that he didn't know that this was a synagogue.
Many of the suspects here and elsewhere in Europe are teenagers. Authorities are warning anyone considering getting involved in these
attacks for quick cash, they will be "used once and thrown away". But it seems these attacks may have already opened the floodgates, emboldening
others to follow.
On our way back from the synagogue, we noticed a heavy police presence.
KARADSHEH: As we were making our way, we heard that people had been stabbed here. And as we approached the police lines, we could see at the time, the
suspect was still on the ground surrounded by the police.
KARADSHEH (voice over): Two visibly Jewish men were stabbed. From the shadows, Ashab al-Yamin claimed the attack without providing evidence of
links to the suspect, who, according to police, has a history of mental illness and serious violence.
Claim confuse, intimidate, and inspire. That's all part of their tactics, leaving so many in this community, bracing for even darker days ahead.
Jomanna Karadshe, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, the Iranian embassy in London denies having any link with or involvement in the London attack, saying in a statement, "Such baseless
accusations against the Islamic Republic of Iran lack credible evidence and appear to serve narrow political agendas and to mislead public opinion and
distract from the real root causes of terrorism and violent extremism. That is the statement that we received at CNN. We will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:51:05]
ANDERSON: The family in West Hollywood in California is speaking out about their disturbing encounter with a MAGA influencer, whose homophobic stunt
went viral. They say the devical (PH) shows that a culture of hate and bigotry is becoming more prevalent in the United States.
CNN's Donie O'Sullivan spoke to them.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVID MILLER-ROBINSON, RESIDENT, WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA: We were making our way across the rainbow crosswalk, and he spotted us. Said, hey, can you
do a few questions for CNN?
RYLEY NIEMI, CONSERVATIVE INFLUENCER: Is your guys' son or daughter or --
(CROSSTALK)
MILLER-ROBINSON: Son.
NIEMI: Awesome. And are you guys a couple?
ANTHONY VULIN, RESIDENT, WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA: Yes.
NIEMI: That's awesome. Cool.
VULIN: As soon as he asked the first question, we knew that they were not with CNN, and that this was something different.
NIEMI: So, have you ever heard about the statistics coming out that gay men are statistically much more likely to commit child molestation?
MILLER-ROBINSON: No.
NIEMI: You never heard about that before?
VULIN: That's crazy. Yes.
In that instant, I realized that we were manipulated into having this interaction with someone who is exploiting us for viral content.
NIEMI: So, you had a surrogate? You paid a woman $50,000 to be pregnant and build an emotional connection to a baby?
VULIN: Who are you?
NIEMI: Don't take my mic.
O'SULLIVAN: New parents, Anthony and David Vulin, were approached in West Hollywood by someone they say was falsely claiming he was with CNN. The man
then provoked the couple with a false statistic about gay men.
VULIN: When someone inserts themselves into a specific community with the intention of triggering people, it's not freedom of expression, it's an
exploitation.
O'SULLIVAN: That someone is Ryley Niemi.
NIEMI: What makes somebody a woman?
O'SULLIVAN: Fashioning himself as a MAGA influencer, he takes to college campuses and to the streets to create rage base.
NIEMI: This got bent by a non-binary faculty member at UCLA, actually. It's on video. It's got millions of views.
O'SULLIVAN: I'm just trying to figure out, like, how much of, how much of this stuff is, like you intentionally just, you know, trying to get a rise
out of people, trying to create content, versus, like, quite how serious you (INAUDIBLE) this stuff.
NIEMI: I think it should be illegal to be transgender.
O'SULLIVAN: You think of what?
NIEMI: I think it should be illegal to become transgender for even adults.
O'SULLIVAN (voice over): Niemi says he is motivated by politics. But what he is doing can also be profitable.
NIEMI: The rate at which my social media is growing, I could easily live off of it in probably four or five months from now.
O'SULLIVAN: What's your message for him, and do you sort of hope that he might change his ways, maybe?
VULN: I don't really think this is about him. This isn't about one specific content creator. This is about an incentivized institution. This is about
large platforms, telling youthful audiences what works and not being held accountable.
Anthony, David, and their 3-month-old son, Ante (PH), were swept up in Niemi's viral circus.
Niemi says David Vulin assaulted him
The Vulin's lawyer say the couple was deliberately targeted with some of the most revolting hate speech imaginable, all on camera for clicks,
adding, David Vulin did what any father would do, and protected his family. The wrong person spent the night in jail.
VULIN: I think that across the board, regardless of political identity, people need to extend grace to one another. People need to extend kindness
to one another. Be nicer to themselves, so that they can be nicer to other people.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Donie O'Sullivan, reporting there.
Well, Eurovision week has officially kicked off in Vienna. Representatives from 35 countries will be participating in this year's song competition,
with the semifinals set to begin on Tuesday. The annual contest is marking its 70th anniversary.
It's marking it though, under the shadow of some controversy. Five countries are boycotting the event over Israel's participation in protest
of the war in Gaza, and Austrian police say they have instituted extra security measures in response to heightened tensions.
[10:55:09]
Right? That's it for CONNECT THE WORLD from the team working with me here in Abu Dhabi. It is a very good evening. Stay with CNN. "ONE WORLD", of
course, is up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
