The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has verified the test results completed Monday by the Nebraska Public Health Lab on 13 individuals here at the UNMC/Nebraska Medical Center campus coronavirus monitoring and care. Eleven of these individuals have tested positive for COVID-19, while two tested negative.
There currently are 10 people in the National Quarantine Unit while three are in the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit. Most of our guests aren’t showing symptoms of the disease; however, several others are exhibiting minor symptoms.
These 13 people are all former passengers of the Diamond Princess cruise ship who were evacuated to the United States via two 747s February 17.
I am wondering if any or all of these 13 patients were ones that tested positive prior to being transported from Japan to the U.S.?
UNMC/Nebraska Medicine didn't receive official notification from federal officials on the specific number of Americans coming to Omaha who were positive. Federal officials told us several were positive. Some of the Americans from the cruise ship verbally told us they had tested positive when they arrived in Omaha. Everyone was retested to make sure there was an accurate assessment. These tests were confirmed by the CDC.