90-Second Read: Potential case of Hantavirus reported in Illinois, but it’s not linked to cruise ship outbreak

Health officials are investigating a potential Hantavirus case in Illinois, though the case is not linked to a recent outbreak of the illness on a cruise ship. The risk of Illinois residents contracting Hantavirus remains "very low," the state health department said in a statement Tuesday. Before this latest potential case, Illinois had seven positive cases of Hantavirus since 1993, most recently in March 2025.

The individual is believed to have caught the North American strain of the Hantavirus, which does not spread from person to person. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is conducting additional testing to confirm the individual in Illinois is positive for Hantavirus, a process that could take up to 10 days. So far, as part of the cruise ship outbreak, three people have died, according to the World Health Organization.

Illinois has not been notified of any residents who were on the cruise ship, according to the state health department. The Illinois resident who potentially caught the virus is not seriously ill and is recovering after experiencing mild symptoms that did not require hospitalization, according to the health department. That outbreak involves the Andes strain of the virus, which can spread between people who are in close and prolonged contact.