A rare but dangerous virus linked to rodents is once again drawing global attention after health authorities began monitoring a cluster of hantavirus infections connected to an expedition cruise ship travelling between South America and Europe.
The outbreak, linked to the MV Hondius, has stirred uneasy memories of the early days of Covid-19. But public health experts insist the two diseases are very different, and there is no evidence of widespread human transmission in most parts of the world.
Hantavirus is not new. Scientists first identified the virus in 1978 near South Korea’s Hantaan River after a wave of haemorrhagic fever cases among United Nations soldiers. Since then, outbreaks have appeared sporadically across Asia, Europe and the Americas, usually linked to contact with infected rodents.
Health officials say the virus spreads mainly through exposure to rat or mouse urine, saliva or droppings. Infection often happens when contaminated dust becomes airborne in enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces such as storage rooms, abandoned buildings or cabins.
The World Health Organization says person-to-person spread is extremely uncommon in most known strains, unlike Covid-19, which spread rapidly through respiratory transmission.
Symptoms can appear anywhere between one and eight weeks after exposure. Early warning signs often resemble flu. Patients may develop fever, headaches, muscle pain and stomach-related symptoms including nausea, vomiting and abdominal discomfort.
In severe cases, the disease can become life-threatening.
In Asia and Europe, hantavirus is commonly associated with haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, which affects the kidneys and blood vessels. In North and South America, the disease is more often linked to hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome, a condition that attacks the lungs and heart and can quickly become fatal.
Medical experts say prevention remains the strongest line of defence.
They advise people to reduce rodent infestations around homes and workplaces, seal holes that may allow rodents inside and store food securely. Cleaning rodent waste also requires caution. Health agencies warn against sweeping or vacuuming droppings directly because it can release infected particles into the air.
Instead, contaminated areas should first be disinfected thoroughly before cleaning.
Despite growing attention around the latest cluster, health officials have urged calm, saying the current risk remains far lower than that posed by highly transmissible respiratory viruses.
For now, experts say awareness, hygiene and early medical care remain critical in limiting infections and protecting communities from a disease that, while rare, can turn deadly with little warning.
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