Hantavirus fears heighten with 4 Californians exposed to the disease. Is the alarm warranted?
Key takeaways
- In the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic, health officials struggled to impress upon the public the grave risks associated with the disease, as well as how easily it could spread.
- This time however, officials are taking a very different approach to messaging surrounding the deadly Andes virus — a type of hantavirus.
- While officials and infectious disease experts have been quick to note the seriousness of the rodent-borne disease, they have also stressed key differences between hantavirus and COVID-19.
The MV Hondius is docked at Granadilla Port in Tenerife, part of the Canary Islands. (Chris Mc Grath / Getty Images) By Karen Garcia Staff Writer Follow May 11, 2026 4 PM PT 6 min Click here to listen to this article Share via Close extra sharing options Email Facebook X Linked In Threads Reddit Whats App Copy Link URL Copied! Print 0:00 0:00 1x This is read by an automated voice. Please report any issues or inconsistencies here.
In the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic, health officials struggled to impress upon the public the grave risks associated with the disease, as well as how easily it could spread.
Now, six years later, public fears have surrounded another type of virus that has killed and sickened passengers on a Dutch-flagged cruise ship, including four Californians who were exposed to the virus and recently returned to the United States. This time however, officials are taking a very different approach to messaging surrounding the deadly Andes virus — a type of hantavirus.