A new disease outbreak has the internet convinced that hantavirus is the new COVID-19. Thankfully, times aren’t as desperate as they may seem. On May 2nd, the World Health Organization (WHO) was notified of a disease outbreak on board of the MV Hondius Dutch cruise ship. WHO confirmed that the illness was hantavirus—more specifically the Andes strain of the virus. This is the only strain transferable from human to human and is extremely rare.
The cruise ship departed from Argentina—where many rats are known to carry the Andes strain of hantavirus—on April 1. It is believed that a couple came in contact with the disease by breathing airborne particles of rat droppings or urine. Once the couple boarded the cruise ship, hantavirus spread quickly, leading to a total of eight cases and three deaths from the Andes strain.
While the fatality rate of hantavirus is far higher than that of COVID-19, the Andes strain is far more rare. It is mainly found in pygmy rice rats in South America, making it extremely unlikely to be contracted by the average tourist. The United States does have a strain of the hantavirus carried by deer mice, but it is not transferable from human to human.
Even though most travelers will never come in contact with any hantavirus strain, there is no vaccine so preventative measures should be taken. For those in the US who are often exposed to rodents— whether it be through farm-living or rodent infestation—it is smart to air out spaces before entering, disinfect any rodent carcasses, and wear an N-95 mask when entering any space infested with mice or rats. It can take up to 8 weeks for hantavirus symptoms to fully set in, making it challenging to identify. If you have been exposed to deer mice and have long lasting flu-like symptoms it may be worth a doctor visit just to ensure your safety.
Thankfully hantavius is not the new COVID-19. The cruise ship has taken the proper protocols for an outbreak like this, which has helped to limit the spread of disease as people disembark from the ship. So for travelers looking to go to Chile or Argentina, the threat level remains the same. No need to stock up on toilet paper again and hoard groceries—hantavirus is not the new pandemic.
