In mid-February, HHS/ASPR and CDC requested UNMC/Nebraska Medicine quarantine additional repatriated Americans—passengers from the Diamond Princess cruise ship that had docked in Yokohama, Japan, with hundreds of passengers and crew who had tested positive for COVID-19. On February 17, UNMC/Nebraska Medicine received 13 individuals, 11 of whom tested positive for COVID-19 and two who tested negative but were still under the CDC’s federal order to quarantine for 14 days. One of the positive individuals with moderate symptoms and other complicating factors was immediately transported to the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit, while the others, including the two negative patients, were housed in the National Quarantine Unit. During their 14-day quarantine, two other passengers were transported to the NBU with moderate symptoms. On February 24, an additional American from the Diamond Princess, who had tested positive but was being monitored at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, was transported to the NQU, bringing the total number of passengers housed at UNMC/Nebraska Medicine to 14.
Over the week or two following their quarantine period, passengers were released from quarantine after receiving three negative tests 24-hours apart. Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts, UNMC/UNO Chancellor Dr. Jeffrey Gold, and Nebraska Medicine CEO Dr. Jim Linder greeted the passengers with an elbow bump upon their release and participated in a press conference with them, U.S. Congressman Jeff Fortenberry, and members of the Nebraska Medicine and ASPR Incident Command team. “This has been an amazing experience,” said passenger Jeri Seratti-Goldman of Santa Clarita Valley, California. “This place is special, and you should be very proud.” Passenger Joanne Kirkland of Knoxville, Tennessee, also praised the NBU staff, saying “We have been treated with respect.”
“It’s gratifying to be able to play such a crucial role at such an important time as this disease continues to spread across our nation,” said Dr. Gold. “Providing care and monitoring for these Americans in the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit and National Quarantine Unit is not only integral to the safety of our country but also incredibly important as we study more about this disease and the best approaches for diagnosis and treatment across our nation and beyond. Nebraskans should be proud we have the best people, the best technology, and best facilities here to be able to tackle this mission head on.” Dr. Linder added, “The comments we’ve received from those we’re monitoring have been overwhelmingly positive. The ordeal these folks have faced and continue to face has been lengthy and strenuous, to say the least. To be able to give them a strong dose of ‘Nebraska Nice’ combined with ‘Serious Medicine and Extraordinary Care’ hopefully allows them to seamlessly return to their daily lives.”
Prior to the news conference, Governor Ricketts thanked the UNMC/Nebraska Medicine staffing, noting, "You all are the experts in this…the tops in the field, the elite, and you are doing a fantastic job. You guys rock!"
All passengers have been released from the NQU to return home, with the last being released on March 18.