90-Second Read: No, Hantavirus Isn’t Becoming Another COVID-19, Infectious Disease Expert Says

Despite growing global concerns about another pandemic, experts say Hantavirus isn't the next COVID-19 many are expecting. Orthohantavirus, better known as Hantavirus, is a genus of zoonotic viruses primarily found in rodents that, in humans, can cause severe, life-threatening diseases. Infection with Hantavirus can result in severe and potentially fatal diseases that vary by geographical location.

The disease is caused by the Sin Nombre virus, a species of Hantavirus carried by the deer mouse, which commonly occurs in areas west of the Mississippi River in North and Central America. In the United States, the Seoul virus is the only Hantavirus that causes HFRS, a virus caused by wild and pet Norway rats, with fatality rates of 1%, often being asymptomatic in most cases. By May 4, a total of seven cases of Hantavirus occurred from the MV Hondius, involving three deaths, three individuals experiencing mild symptoms, and one individual experiencing major symptoms.

Even though the outbreak of Andes virus and Hantavirus may seem disastrous within the news, in reality it only affects a few hundred at most people each year. While there is no major concern of a Hantavirus becoming a major world crisis anytime soon, it is essential to understand the basic science of it and continue to follow recommended hygiene practices by the CDC. In the Americas, infection can lead to Hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome, a rare respiratory illness with fatality rates of up to 50%.