90-Second Read: Experts Reveal the Symptoms of Hantavirus You Should Watch For

While the MV Hondius cruise ship Hantavirus outbreak sounds terrifying, there were 11 confirmed cases and three deaths (a 27% fatality rate), per the World Health Organization, the disease typically isn't spread quite as rapidly, even if you're partying on the high seas. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 38% of people who develop respiratory symptoms from Hantavirus will die from the disease. Per the CDC, pregnant people, people with compromised or weakened immune systems and children younger than five years old are at the highest risk of contracting Hantavirus and suffering severe symptoms. Hantavirus is serious, but should you really be worried?

Hantavirus is generally pretty rare, to the point that the American Lung Association noted that there were fewer than 900 cases between 1993 and 2022. Other Hantavirus symptoms may develop anywhere between four and 10 days after the initial signs mentioned above. According to the CDC, droppings that are six weeks old or more are less likely to be infected with Hantavirus, but you should still avoid them, and if you can't, you must use caution when cleaning them up. That depends on how much you've been exposed to rodents recently.

The later symptoms can be severe and very dangerous, even deadly, if untreated. You may get sick from Hantavirus anywhere between one week to eight weeks after exposure to rodent droppings. If you're talking about wanting to nix a Hantavirus infection, there is no magic bullet or pill for that, since it's a virus and not a bacterial infection, antibiotics won't help. The CDC recommends washing clothes with a hot water cycle if you suspect you've been exposed to Hantavirus.

Your best bet is to manage symptoms with a doctor's help and supervision until you recover. Vacuuming or sweeping rodent droppings can send Hantavirus particles into the air, making you more likely to inhale them. If your washing machine has a sanitize cycle, that's even better.