Hantavirus: Could It Become a Bigger Threat Than COVID-19?

The question sounds alarming, especially after the recent hantavirus outbreak linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship. Several people became seriously ill, and the incident drew global attention because the suspected strain, Andes virus, can rarely spread between people through very close contact. That immediately made many readers ask whether hantavirus could become another COVID-style threat.

The careful answer is: based on what health authorities currently know, hantavirus is serious but not likely to become a bigger global threat than COVID-19. It can be deadly, but it does not spread easily through casual contact or the air in the same way respiratory viruses do. WHO currently assesses the global population risk from the cruise ship event as low, while continuing to monitor the situation.