Two cases of hantavirus have emerged following the deaths of three individuals and the serious illness of a UK national during a suspected outbreak on a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean.
On May 4, 2026, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a report detailing the characteristics of this deadly virus.
Hantaviruses, classified as zoonotic, primarily infect rodents and occasionally transfer to humans. Infection can lead to severe illness and often death, with the severity depending on the virus type and geographical context.
The WHO emphasizes that while no specific cure exists for hantavirus diseases, early supportive medical care significantly enhances survival rates. This care focuses on close clinical monitoring and managing respiratory, cardiac, and kidney complications. Prevention hinges on minimizing contact between humans and infected rodents.
Hantaviruses belong to the Hantaviridae family within the Bunyavirales order, typically linked to specific rodent species that harbor the virus without showing illness. Although numerous hantavirus species exist globally, only a select few are known to cause human disease.
Transmission occurs through contact with contaminated urine, droppings, or saliva from infected rodents. Less frequently, rodent bites can transmit the virus. Activities such as cleaning poorly ventilated spaces, farming, and sleeping in rodent-infested areas elevate exposure risks.
Human-to-human transmission has been confirmed only for the Andes virus in the Americas, occurring primarily through close, prolonged contact, especially among household members or intimate partners, and is most likely during the early stages of illness.
Symptoms typically manifest one to six weeks post-exposure, beginning with fever, headache, muscle aches, and gastrointestinal issues like abdominal pain, nausea, or vomiting. In Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome (HCPS), the disease can escalate rapidly to cough, shortness of breath, fluid accumulation in the lungs, and shock. In Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS), advanced stages may present low blood pressure, bleeding disorders, and kidney failure.
