Hawaii doctor: Hantavirus ‘is not the next pandemic’

When word of three fatalities linked to a hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship made headlines, many questions arose about how the virus spreads. One medical expert says this is different from COVID-19.

Hawaii doctor: Hantavirus ‘is not the next pandemic’. When word of three fatalities linked to a hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship made headlines, many questions arose about how the virus spreads. One medical expert says this is different from COVID-19. “We know about it, but it’s not something to worry about. This is not the next pandemic,” said Dr. Scott Miscovich, an infectious disease expert. Miscovich explained that Hantavirus, originating from infected rodents, isn’t a new disease. He said it’s more difficult to catch than COVID, and the virus also doesn’t mutate as frequently to create wild new variants. While human-to-human transmission has been documented with the Andes strain, cases have remained relatively low. “In the Americas, we’ve had over the last 15 years or so, I think it’s 893 cases. In Europe, annually, is anywhere f...