When news broke about Hantavirus connected to the cruise ship MV Hondius, the internet reacted in a familiar way to COVID-19. Panic, speculation, and comparisons to COVID-19 This virus is not going to be like COVID-19, as there are many differences that separate these two viruses as a whole.
The Hantavirus is primarily found in rodents. There’s currently 38 strains and only one of them spreads human to human; that strain is called Andes virus. While the fatality rate can be up to 50%, the risk of getting it is extremely low. 70% of exposures occur around households, transmission of Hantaviruses mostly occurs from contact with contaminated urine, droppings or saliva of infected rodents. It causes two syndromes, Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). HFRS is very severe but can also be deadly, it affects the kidneys and symptoms usually begin to show one to two weeks after being exposed to it by a rodent. HPS starts with flu-like symptoms and then it progresses rapidly, it can lead to life threatening heart and lung problems.
Unlike Hantavirus, COVID-19 spreads very easily from person to person through respiratory droplets and airborne particles, which is why it quickly became a global pandemic. COVID-19 is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus and mostly affects the respiratory system, though it can also impact the heart, brain and other organs. Symptoms can range from mild cold-like illness to severe pneumonia and difficulty breathing. While the fatality rate is much lower than some Hantavirus strains, it is so much more likely to get COVID-19 over the Hantavirus. Unlike Hantavirus, which is mostly linked to rodent exposure, COVID-19 only spreads human to human.
Hantavirus and COVID-19 are completely different situations, although people online immediately compared the two. COVID-19 spread rapidly because it could easily pass from one person to another through the air, which is what caused a worldwide pandemic. Hantavirus does not spread that way. Most cases happen after someone comes into contact with infected rodents or contaminated droppings, urine, or saliva. The only strain known to spread between humans is the Andes virus, and even that is very rare. Hantavirus is so difficult to spread, health experts are not expecting another pandemic or worldwide quarantine like the one caused by COVID-19.
Right now, the passengers and crew from the MV Hondius are being quarantined as a safety precaution while doctors and health officials continue to monitor the situation. After leaving the ship, many passengers were sent back to their home countries and told to isolate themselves because symptoms of the Andes virus can take weeks to appear. Some people are staying in medical facilities while others are quarantining at home and checking in with health officials regularly. Even though the chances of the virus spreading are very low, countries are still being careful to make sure anyone who starts feeling sick can get treatment quickly and to prevent any possible spread.
In the end, while Hantavirus is a serious illness that should be taken seriously, it is not something that is expected to turn into another COVID-19. The two viruses differ in so many ways, and the chances of a world wide pandemic like COVID-19 with Hantavirus is extremely low. A lot of the panic online comes from people hearing the word “virus” and immediately thinking back to the pandemic.
maddox • May 26, 2026 at 8:13 am
nothing ever happens