90-Second Read: Local medical professional weighs in on Hantavirus outbreak

Two other passengers were taken to a local hospital in Atlanta, with one having been reported to have been experiencing symptoms associated with the Hantavirus. Medical professionals with the Southern Nevada Health District say that while Hantavirus is currently making headlines due to the cruise ship outbreak, the likelihood of it reaching pandemic levels remains low. Medical experts say while the overall likelihood of contracting Hantavirus remains low, the strain linked to the cruise ship outbreak, which has already been linked to three deaths and several positive cases, is more dynamic. 16 of those passengers are under care at the National Quarantine Unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which began tracking Hantavirus in 1993, fewer than 900 cases of human exposure were reported in the United States over 30 years, dating to 2023. Nonetheless, health experts emphasize that Hantavirus is not new, though many people may be hearing about it for the first time. Sugay added saying at this time, there is no active monitoring for Hantavirus cases in Southern Nevada related to the cruise ship outbreak.

The transmission dynamics for Hantavirus is again very different it is primarily transmitted from rats or rodents' droppings to human. There was actually a small cluster in Argentina around 2018, and from that we learned more about transmission dynamics. Despite the low risk, health officials stress that standard precautions can help limit exposure and potential spread. According to the CDC, symptoms of Hantavirus can resemble flu-like illness and may take up to six weeks to appear.