After 42 days in quarantine, the last of the hantavirus cruise ship passengers have gone home.

Leaders at the University of Nebraska Medical Center said the experience offered lessons for the next quarantine unit activation and “showed what Nebraska is all about.”

“It’s a long activation period, and over those six weeks, there’s really no room for error,” said Dr. Michael Wadman, chair of the National Quarantine Unit.

Eighteen American passengers from a cruise ship that saw a hantavirus outbreak arrived at UNMC on May 11. Their quarantine in Omaha was part of a nationally coordinated effort to assess, contain and treat any potential infections.

Late last week, UNMC was down to six of the original 18 passengers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention requested that passengers remain in quarantine through May 31. But symptoms of hantavirus can take up to 42 days to appear, so all passengers were “strongly encouraged” to stay through June 21.

Hantavirus is an illness typically tied to rodents, but it may have passed from human to human aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship, the World Health Organization (WHO) said. Three ship passengers died from the disease.

Wadman said the quarantine unit aims to “constantly improve,” so UNMC leaders listened closely to the needs and experiences of those under quarantine.

“None of us can say we know what it’s like, and we want that feedback, so that we can do better every time we activate,” Wadman said. “The people in Nebraska also stepped up.”

Local restaurants delivered food. Nearby schools sent cards. Omaha Steaks grilled out in the parking lot, and online support rolled in.

Lessons learned in Nebraska will be shared with other regional treatment centers, said Angela Vasa, director of isolation and quarantine for special pathogens at Nebraska Medicine. That includes mental wellness forums for those in quarantine and improved day-to-day operations.

With the hantavirus quarantine coming to a close, Vasa said UNMC is keeping a close eye on the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. No cases have been reported in the United States.

“At this time, we don’t have an official request or an active request to accept any individuals exposed to Ebola virus disease or Bundibugyo virus,” Vasa said, “but our team is ready, and we maintain that readiness through our training, our drills, and so should the need arise, our team would be able to respond in in response to that request.”

One year since the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission’s first meeting, delays continue to plague the program, including county restrictions for licensed growers who hope to operate.

More immediately, the commission is up against a deadline: on July 15, its temporary regulations governing licensed growers will expire. Without a vote to renew the regulations, the regulations giving growers the authority to proceed will lapse. The commission’s next meeting isn’t until July 20.

Chair Lorelle Meuting said commissioners expect Attorney General Mike Hilgers to have approved permanent regulations and for Gov. Jim Pillen to have signed off on them by July 15. Both Pillen and Hilgers have openly opposed the medical marijuana program. Crista Eggers, executive director of Nebraskans for Medical Marijauana, worries about what consequences growers could face should the regulations lapse.

“I think there could be legal ramifications,” Eggers said. “Litigation could obviously come at that point if these [temporary regulations] expire and [permanent regulations] are not signed into law.”

Commissioners also approved a motion to begin accepting applications for manufacturers and to hire Jarrod Boitnott as legal counsel. The commission is also soliciting applications for a commission director.

Since the commission’s May meeting, only one of the four licensed growers, cultivation company MahaMoto, held and passed an inspection of their property. The others have rescheduled their inspections.

Kent Rogert, representing KRL Med LLC., said the company is just six work hours short of being ready for the inspection. But it had to reschedule the inspection after the Washington County zoning administration banned them from their property, arguing that growing cannabis is not considered agriculture and the project can’t be permitted. As the company appeals the decision, Rogert said it will have to postpone the growing season.

“Their ordinance is broad but we’re trying to do this with honey instead of vinegar,” Rogert said, adding that he believes the grower fits well within the county’s definition of agriculture. “We remain cautiously optimistic that we can get something done, but the days are ticking away pretty fast.”

Washington County’s Zoning Administrator Ryan Sullivan was not immediately available for comment. The county’s sheriff, Mike Robinson, opposed medical marijuana bills in the Nebraska Legislature last year.

“Today’s meeting made one thing clear, the people and patients of Nebraska deserve more than delay, confusion and dysfunction currently happening under [Republican] Attorney General Mike Hilgers,” Jocelyn Brasher, the Democratic candidate for attorney general, said after observing the meeting. “As Attorney General, I will uphold the will of the people and respect NE voters on medical cannabis.”

Hilgers’ office did not respond to a request for comment by press time.

Advocates who hope to be part of the medical marijuana program scolded the commission in public comment, saying continual delays in starting the program have led to patients suffering. Melanie Knight said until the program is ready, patients are forced to turn to opiates for pain medication.

“By not pushing this through and doing what the people of Nebraska have told you to do, you’re actually creating more of an opioid crisis,” Knight said.

“I’m just always fascinated by the stuff that people bring in. You never know what’s going to come in. And we do our best. We can’t ever guarantee anything, but it’s always fascinating,” Kettler said. “I think for a lot of people it’s something that’s important to them. And then there’s the whole ‘I shouldn’t have to throw out everything.’”

James said the café has a way of turning a simple repair into something bigger. He mentioned one afternoon when the sewing table was backed up.

“The line was taking a little long, and the person second in line said, ‘All I wanted was a couple buttons sewed on,’ and the third in line said, ‘Well I know how to do that.’ And so, number three taught number two how to sew on a button. It’s like a sense of community teaching.”

Volunteers range from retired tradespeople to hobbyists, James said. Many, including himself, grew up fixing things out of necessity.

Repair Café International supports local chapters with a starter kit, documentation, branding and guidance.

The organization also advocates for right-to-repair legislation. James noted that Apple products and John Deere equipment were examples of items becoming increasingly difficult for owners to fix themselves.

The Lincoln Repair Café accepts new volunteers and welcomes walk-in visitors. More information is available through the group’s Facebook page.