VA Tech expert warns hantavirus outbreak deserves close attention
A recent outbreak of the Andes strain of hantavirus has drawn international attention after at least three deaths were linked to infections connected to the cruise ship MV Hondius.
The virus, which is rare but potentially deadly, is notable because Andes virus is the only hantavirus known to occasionally spread from person to person, according to the Virginia Department of Health.
Luis Escobar, a disease ecologist at Virginia Tech, said the outbreak highlights the dangers posed by emerging viruses circulating in rodent populations.
“Viruses with the ability to infect multiple species and spread silently between people deserve serious attention before outbreaks grow larger,” Escobar said.
Health officials say hantavirus pulmonary syndrome can begin with fever, headaches and muscle aches before progressing to severe respiratory illness. The Virginia Department of Health reports that up to 40 percent of patients can die from the disease.
Escobar said mild or asymptomatic infections may make outbreaks harder to track.
“Like COVID, hantaviruses can produce asymptomatic or mild infections in addition to severe illness, but it is unclear the potential role of silent infections in disease spread,” Escobar said.
Officials say the current risk to the general public in the United States remains low.
