The world panicked after three cruise ship passengers died from a suspected hantavirus outbreak earlier this month. This rare disease, which is linked to contact with rodents, is now a topic of concern, especially among travelers this season. How do you get the disease in the first place? Is there any solid cure or treatment for someone who contracts it?
Learn about hantavirus and why it is a relevant topic now.
What is hantivirus?
Hantavirus is a rare and potentially deadly virus. If a human contracts the virus, it can cause serious conditions, such as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, which usually begins with flu-like symptoms before progressing to serious respiratory problems.
Although cases of hantavirus are rare, the disease can worsen quickly. Gene Hackmanthe deceased wife, Betsy Arakawahe died in 2025 from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). She was 65 years old.
Swiss authorities have confirmed a case of #hantavirus identified in a passenger of the MV Hondius cruise ship.
He responded to an email from the ship’s operator informing passengers of the health event and showed up at a hospital in Zurich, Switzerland, and… pic.twitter.com/4mmBd7qSA4
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) May 6, 2026
How does hantavirus spread?
Hantavirus is usually transmitted through direct contact with urine, droppings, or saliva from infected rodents, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It can also be transmitted through a scratch or bite from a rodent, according to the CDC.
It is rare for hantavirus to spread from person to person. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in the Western Hemisphere is usually transmitted by a deer mouse.
However, with the recent discovery that the cruise ship outbreak could be the Andes virus, the CDC noted that human transmission is possible.
Hantavirus symptoms
The most common symptoms associated with hantavirus pulmonary syndrome include fatigue, fever, muscle pain in the thighs, hips or back, dizziness, chills and abdominal problems, according to the CDC.
Between four and ten days after the initial phase of the virus, patients may develop late symptoms of the disease, such as cough and difficulty breathing. At this stage, a person may have fluid in the lungs.
Is there a cure for hantavirus? Treatment options
There is no cure for hantavirus or specific treatment. Patients diagnosed with the disease are told to stay hydrated, rest and possibly receive supportive care. If a patient has hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, they may require intubation.
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome mortality rate
According to the CDC, 38 percent of people who develop breathing problems due to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome may die from the disease.
