A girl is preparing to sue anyone on the hantavirus-hit cruise ship MV Hondius who doesn’t self-isolate.
Teresa Jack, who lives in Connecticut, has already consulted along with her lawyers about passengers spreading the disease once they disembark the ship.
Three people have died following the outbreak of the virus, with eight reported cases. It’s suspected a Dutch couple who visited a landfill in Argentina caught the disease and brought it onto the cruise ship with them.
There are 17 US residents still on board the ship, in addition to various passengers who returned home before the outbreak was confirmed.
A minimum of three US states – Georgia, California and Arizona – are monitoring individuals who can have been exposed to the virus, which has a 50% mortality rate based on the World Health Organisation.
Now Teresa has organised a lawsuit in case a preventable outbreak occurs as a consequence of people not self-isolating.
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The 35-year-old has received support from nearly 15,000 people, who’ve pledged to contribute $1 million to the legal fund should it go ahead.
Teresa told Metro: ‘I’m not a lawyer, but I’m a girl with a spreadsheet.
‘I lost an excessive amount of over Covid, and we Americans are sick of all the things feeling out of our control.’
The US’s war in Iran, Trump’s tariffs and the Covid-19 virus have all contributed to a sense of helplessness, Teresa, a musical theatre performer, said.
She lost out on income after theatres were closed, which she remains to be feeling the financial affects of this to today.
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Teresa also lost family members to Covid in addition to nearly dying after contracting it herself
‘The American people were left defenceless throughout the last pandemic,’ she said. ‘Solidarity and community will look very different this time.’
She added: ‘I do know Brits will say it’s a violently American technique to threaten with a lawsuit. But that’s the culture we live in, so it’s the motion we want to take.’
Her lawsuit, which she’s going to open up as class motion, will include those that select to not self-isolate in addition to government institutions for failing to guard public health.
The neighbours of those that are on board the ship have reached out to Teresa directly, pledging their support.
And since its announcement, Teresa has been involved with the state of Arizona’s Attorney General’s Office.
She told them ‘concerned residents are preared to pool $1 million should a preventable outbreak occur’.
Since that confirmation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said passengers will likely be flown to Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska.
They may then be taken to the National Quarantine Centre.
Teresa said: ‘I feel just like the threat has already made a difference.’
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