What is the hantavirus?

As fears grow online that the outbreak could mirror the early stages of Covid-19, WHO epidemiologist Maria Van Kerkhove pushed back on comparisons during a recent press conference.

“This is not the next Covid, but it is a serious infectious disease. If people get infected, and infections are uncommon, they can die. People on the ship who are hearing this are very scared, rightly so,” she said, according to ABC News.

“The general public might be scared as well. Accurate information is critical. Knowing what your actual exposure might be – most people will never be exposed to this.”

Person to person transmission is rare

According to WHO, “HCPS has a high case fatality rate, commonly between 20% and 40%, making it a disease of major public health concern.”

The virus typically originates through contact with animals – particularly rodents – and can spread through urine, droppings, or saliva.

However, no rodents have reportedly been found on the ship, prompting health experts to also investigate whether the virus may have spread from person to person – something considered extremely rare, but potentially very serious.