Why hantavirus is in the news—and what an infectious disease expert wants you to know
May 15, 2026Categories: Blog Posts
Tags: Infectious Disease
As hantavirus continues making headlines and circulating across social media feeds, many people are wondering the same thing: How concerned should we actually be? For many, the current situation is stirring up an uncomfortable sense of déjà vu, bringing back memories of the uncertainty and anxiety that surrounded the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, according to infectious disease physician Gul Madison, MD, who practices at Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic Medical Group’s Infectious Disease Darby, it’s important to understand the facts behind hantavirus—especially how it’s spread—before allowing concern to turn into panic.
What is hantavirus?
“Hantaviruses are a group of viruses that are carried by rodents that can cause severe illness in humans. People can get infected through contact with the rodents’ urine, feces or saliva,” says Dr. Madison.
Typically, hantavirus cannot be transmitted between humans, except for the Andes virus—a rare strain predominantly found in South America.
Why is hantavirus in the news?
A cluster of Andes virus infections occurred on the cruise ship, M.V. Hondius, which departed from Argentina on April 1 with 149 passengers and crew hailing from 23 different countries, including several U.S. citizens. The first passenger to be diagnosed and reported to the World Health Organization was a 70-year-old Dutchman, who, prior to boarding the cruise, is said to have birdwatched at a site that’s known to inhabit Andes-carrying rats. He passed away on April 11, followed by his wife, 69, a few weeks later. A third passenger also contracted the virus and died.
As of May 14, there are 11 total Andes virus cases globally linked to the cruise—nine confirmed, two probable causes. Approximately 36 Americans have been exposed. Sixteen of them are in quarantine, either at the National Quarantine Unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Emory University in Atlanta or their home states. Quarantine will last 42 days, which is the incubation period for the virus.
Currently, there is nobody in Pennsylvania or Delaware linked to the outbreak, and two people in Maryland are being monitored for possible exposure.
How is hantavirus spread?
The Andes strain of hantavirus is transmitted through close, prolonged contact. According to Dr. Madison, it’s much harder to spread in public spaces compared to the highly contagious COVID-19.
“It’s going to be within the same household—family members or intimate partners. It’s not like a respiratory illness where you should be concerned about going out in public to the grocery store,” says Dr. Madison. “Outbreaks are rare. The issue with this cluster is that it happened to be a perfect storm with the cruise ship, a closed environment and people sharing close quarters. And this was the Andes type, which is the only one known to be transmitted human to human.”
Additionally, asymptomatic individuals who test positive are not considered infectious and, therefore, cannot transmit the virus.
Symptoms and treatment of hantavirus
When an individual contracts hantavirus, the symptoms typically mimic most viral illnesses:
- Fever
- Headache
- Muscle pain
- GI symptoms, including abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting
“But it can progress to Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, or HPS. That is very severe and can cause critical illness and death,” says Dr. Madison. “If it progresses to HPS, it has a mortality rate of 30 to 40 percent. So that is, understandably, very scary. But again, this virus requires prolonged contact for transmission, so it’s not easily transmitted.”
At this time, there is no targeted antiviral medication or vaccination for hantavirus. Treatment is mainly supportive, ensuring patients receive adequate oxygenation and IV fluids. It’s also vital that hospitals use infection control practices, such as keeping the patient isolated and using N95 masks, gowns, gloves and eye protection.
How concerned should the public be?
Unlike COVID-19, hantavirus and the Andes strain are not new. In fact, these viruses have existed among rodent populations for centuries, with occasional cases even popping up in the U.S. over the years. However, it hasn’t been very long since COVID completely shut the world down.
Understandably, there is public concern—but Dr. Madison says there isn’t a cause for panic.
“This is not COVID. The transmission rate is much less. I agree with the WHO that this is not something that is expected to lead to a global outbreak. The countries who have these passengers are observing them closely, monitoring them for symptoms and quarantining them. I think it is being managed appropriately,” she says. “This is a completely different situation, even though it brings the same feelings of COVID for the general public. There’s no sign that we are seeing the start of a bigger outbreak.”