What is Hantavirus, and what should you know?

Hantavirus is a family of viruses that is caused by contact with rodents such as mice and rats. Humans can contract hantavirus by getting exposed through saliva, droppings, and urine from these rodents.  

Hantavirus can distinctly cause two different symptoms: hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome HPS. HFRS predominantly affects the kidneys; symptoms of this specific strand include nausea,blurred vision, intestinal headaches, and fevers/chills. HPS, on the other hand, predominantly affects the lungs and includes symptoms such as fatigue, fever, and muscle aches. HPS can be potentially deadly, as symptoms show 1-8 weeks after contact with the infected animal, and 38% of patients who develop respiratory issues from HPS die from the illness (CDC).  

Currently, there are no vaccines to prevent hantavirus, but there are treatment options that focus on reducing symptoms. For the HPS strand, an option for patients is intubation, in which a tube is placed from the mouth to the lungs to support breathing. For patients with HFRS, dialysis may be used to help remove toxins from the blood while helping with other bodily functions if the kidneys are not working.

As of May 2026, a ship carrying approximately 150 passengers plus crew members is reported to have respiratory illnesses and confirmed cases of hantavirus. As of May 4th, 20226, there are said to be 3 confirmed deaths from the illness, 3 individuals with mild symptoms, and one critically ill patient. Since there were no reported sightings of rodents on the ship, some new reports argue that the first person to get infected may have been traveling through Argentina/Chile, where they might have been exposed to a rodent carrying the disease. The passenger may have been asymptomatic at first, leading them to spread the disease to others through shared air/close contact. Additionally, as of May 10th, 2026, passengers on the cruise ship with hantavirus have started to disembark. The ship has docked in Tenerife and the Canary Islands, and the professionals report that the virus is of low risk to the general public and differs from the covid 10 outbreak.

Unlike COVID-19, Hantavirus does not easily spread between people, but it has been reported in community settings that have close/prolonged contact. One of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of contracting hantavirus is to avoid contact with rodents and to be cautious of and pay attention to infection risk even on vacation.

Online, there may be people expressing feeling of worrying which is why there has been a  surge of misinformation about the outbreak. When it comes to trusting reliable sources on current events, looking for websites and social media sources with verified health authorities is the best course of action.

Works Cited

CDC. “About Hantavirus.” Hantavirus, 13 May 2024, www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/about/index.html.

Edwards, Christian, et al. “Passengers Disembark Cruise Ship Hit by Hantavirus.” CNN, 10 May 2026, www.cnn.com/2026/05/10/health/live-news/hantavirus-cruise-outbreak.

“Hantavirus Cluster Linked to Cruise Ship Travel, Multi-Country.” Who.int, 2024, www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2026-DON599.

News, PBS. “Medical Epidemiologist Explains What to Know about the Cruise Ship Hantavirus Outbreak.” PBS News, 9 May 2026, www.pbs.org/newshour/health/medical-epidemiologist-explains-what-to-know-about-the-cruise-ship-hantavirus-outbreak.

“Questions and Answers on the Hantavirus Outbreak in a Cruise Ship.” European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, 8 May 2026, www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/infectious-disease-topics/hantavirus-infection/surveillance-and-updates/questions-answers-outbreak.

Assessed and Endorsed by the MedReport Medical Review Board