90-Second Read: Will the Hantavirus Outbreak Cause a Lockdown? What Experts Want You to Know

As cases of Andes Hantavirus linked to a cruise ship outbreak go up, do you need to worry about a possible lockdown? Fortunately, the current Hantavirus outbreak is not COVID 2.0, experts previously told TODAY.com. The last reason Hantavirus is unlike to lead to a lockdown is that health authorities took swift action to contain the outbreak once Hantavirus was detected. Now that the passengers on the Hantavirus-stricken cruise ship have returned to their home countries and cases are growing, you may be fearing the worst.

The World Health Organization identified the first passengers infected with Hantavirus as a Dutch couple who had traveled in Argentina, where the Andes virus is endemic. The cruise ship cluster could result in additional cases among passengers or their contacts, the experts say, but the outbreak is expected to be contained. The last outbreak occurred in 2012, when 10 visitors to Yosemite contracted Hantavirus from infected mice. Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, news of a deadly infectious disease outbreak can trigger alarm.

An estimated 150 people may have been exposed to Hantavirus on the ship. Hantaviruses can cause two sets of symptoms, depending on the species of virus and where you're infected. In the Americas, Hantaviruses can cause a severe and often fatal respiratory illness called Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). You can reduce your risk of getting Hantavirus by minimizing exposure to wild rodents and their droppings, the experts note.

Hantavirus made headlines last year when it was revealed as the cause of death of Betsy Arakawa, the wife of Gene Hackman. As of May 14, the WHO has identified nine confirmed Hantavirus cases and two suspected cases. However, Hantavirus does not appear to be spreading beyond the original cohort of cruise ship passengers, officials say.