On May 2nd the World Health Organization (WHO) was alerted that an internationally traveling Dutch-flagged cruise ship housing 147 individuals was found to have multiple passengers with troubling pulmonary illnesses inciting an international investigation. Later, on May 4th it was revealed that there were at least two confirmed cases of hantavirus and several additional suspected cases (“Hantavirus Cluster Linked to Cruise Ship Travel, Multi-Country”). This has resulted in worldwide panic across social media especially given the recent docking of this cruise ship on May 10th in the Spanish Canary Islands with many passengers going to their home-countries. The lack of education of what hantavirus really is, is causing many to question whether they should be worried or not.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has classified the hantaviruses as a group of viruses that are spread from contact with rodents or their bodily fluids and has a multitude of strains. In this situation, the Andes strain of hantavirus is present which unfortunately unlike the other hantaviruses can be spread by human to human contact. Though this human to human contact has to be very close, normally face to face and with individuals who live together unlike the minimal contact required to spread the coronavirus. Additionally, an exchange of bodily fluids, like salvia, can also contribute to the transmission of the virus. The virus can eventually lead to Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) with symptoms starting with common flu-like symptoms, when these symptoms are present is normally when the disease can be transmitted between people, and then leading to more severe respiratory issues.
Coronavirus and hantavirus are individual viruses that make a repetition of what happened in 2020 unlikely. Coronavirus, though less deadly than hantavirus, is airborne (spread through droplets in the air) and extremely contagious, quickly moving from person to person and conquering one’s respiratory system. Hantavirus though more extreme than Coronavirus has only been found to spread person to person through the Andes Strain and even then transmission is much more challenging normally requiring long close contact as priorly stated. Additionally, hantavirus as a whole is rare and studied for many years, making it unlikely that after this incident it will continue to spread like Covid did again and again.
Across Somerville High School multiple conversions have been expressed about this cruise case exposing the effectiveness of media to spread fear into many about the recent increase in presence of this virus. This is especially due to the harping on the Covid-19 pandemic recurring which as seen through the differences of the viruses is unlikely. A SHS sophomore states “It’s bad because what if it makes going on vacation this summer harder” and another sophomore has expressed “I’m scared another pandemic is going to start and it would be way worse since the death rate for hantavirus is super high.”
Now the reality is that diseases can be unpredictable but many health officials such as ones from WHO, like Maria Van Kerkhove, the director of epidemic and pandemic management have stated “This is not COVID. This is not influenza. It spreads very, very differently” (Emanuel). Hantavirus currently is not something that someone should panic about, just be mindful of those around and do not believe everything being said online.
Adapted from –
CDC. “Andes Virus Outbreak on a Cruise Ship: Current Situation.” Hantavirus, 19 May 2026, https://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/situation-summary/index.html. Accessed 20 May 2026.
Czachor, Emily Mae. “What We Know about Hantavirus Cases Tied to Deadly Cruise Ship Outbreak.” Cbsnews.Com, 7 May 2026, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hantavirus-cases-deadly-cruise-ship-outbreak/. Accessed 20 May 2026.
“Hantavirus Cluster Linked to Cruise Ship Travel, Multi-Country.” Who.Int, 2024, https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2026-DON599. Accessed 20 May 2026.
Imray, Gerald. “A Timeline of the Cruise Ship Hantavirus Outbreak.” AP News, 7 May 2026, https://apnews.com/article/hantavirus-cruise-ship-timeline-events-b9eb3985b547758b1e42dbab6ceb3887. Accessed 20 May 2026.
News, PBS. “Medical Epidemiologist Explains What to Know about the Cruise Ship Hantavirus Outbreak.” PBS News, 9 May 2026, https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/medical-epidemiologist-explains-what-to-know-about-the-cruise-ship-hantavirus-outbreak. Accessed 20 May 2026.
Press, The Associated. “Health Officials Track Dozens Who Left Hantavirus-Stricken Ship after 1St Fatality.” NPR, 7 May 2026, https://www.npr.org/2026/05/07/nx-s1-5814632/passengers-left-ship-hantavirus-st-helena. Accessed 20 May 2026.
