RFK Jr. signed updated order to keep hantavirus-exposed cruise passenger in Nebraska quarantine, despite CDC-recommended release

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. signed an updated order Monday to continue the quarantine of an American passenger who was exposed to hantavirus while traveling on a cruise ship, The Hill reported. The order keeps the patient, identified by the outlet as Angela Perryman, in a quarantine facility in Nebraska even though the person’s removal was supported by a federal medical review and CDC guidance indicating she could leave.

According to The Hill, the case involves a decision to maintain involuntary isolation after a federal medical review recommended release. The report said the quarantine was continued despite CDC advice that Perryman could be allowed to depart quarantine.

The Hill described the situation as unusual because the updated order was issued after review by federal health officials. The outlet reported that the latest decision directed Perryman to remain isolated in Nebraska against her will rather than return to normal activity.

The quarantine is being carried out through an order signed by Kennedy Jr., who serves as Health Secretary in the Trump administration. The report did not describe any changes to the underlying exposure circumstances, only that the quarantine’s duration was extended after the federal medical review.

The case also highlights the role of executive branch health officials in setting quarantine conditions, including the relationship between CDC medical guidance and a separate order governing whether an individual remains under restriction. Under the process described by The Hill, the federal medical review concluded release was appropriate, but the Health Secretary’s subsequent order continued isolation.

If the quarantine remains in place under the updated directive, Perryman would continue to be subject to the constraints of the Nebraska facility described in the report, while her case remains subject to continued medical evaluation and administrative control by the health department.

The Hill reported the next steps would depend on continued compliance with the quarantine order, additional review by health officials, and any legal or administrative challenges that might be raised regarding whether the continued isolation is warranted under the relevant authorities.