Hantavirus is a rare but serious viral infection spread mainly through contact with infected rodents, especially their droppings, urine and saliva. People are usually infected by inhaling contaminated particles in the air. Hantavirus can cause severe illnesses such as HPS and Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome. Recently, hantavirus gained attention after a reported outbreak aboard a Dutch cruise ship travelling from Argentina, resulting in deaths and hospitalisations linked to the Andes strain. Despite public concern, experts say hantavirus is unlikely to become a pandemic because it does not spread easily between people. Symptoms include fever, fatigue, muscle pain, cough, breathing difficulty, kidney problems and internal bleeding in severe cases. Diagnosis is made through blood tests, while treatment focuses on supportive intensive care, as no specific cure or vaccine exists. Preventive measures include rodent control, proper hygiene, safe cleaning practices and avoiding exposure to rodent-infested areas.
Hantavirus is a rare but dangerous group of viruses that originate from rodents, most commonly rats. People contract hantavirus infections from exposure to rodent droppings, urine and saliva. Rodent bites and scratches can also infect a person with hantavirus, but this is considered rare. Most often, aerosolised rodent droppings (powdered rodent droppings suspended in the air you breathe) are the source of the infection. Hantavirus can cause hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). There are more than 20 species of hantavirus that have been documented, including the Seoul virus, the Andes virus, the Sin Nombre virus and the Laguna Negra virus.
On May 2nd, 2026, the World Health Organisation (WHO) received news of a cluster of patients in severe respiratory distress on a dutch cruise. The ship had 147 passengers and crew. The . The cruise set out from Argentina, and intended to explore multiple ecologically diverse regions, including mainland Antarctica, South Georgia, Nightingale islands, Saint Helena and Ascension Island en route. The source of the original hantavirus infection is still unconfirmed, but the first 2 patients who showed symptoms had travelled extensively around Argentina, where the andes strain is known to be present. Panic has begun to spread in the public, as everyone starts to prepare for another covid-like lockdown situation. However, experts in disease control have adviced people to stay calm, ensuring them that this will not lead to a covid-like situation.
A pandemic is declared when a disease breaks out and infects diverse populations on a global scale. Based on everything we know about Hantavirus; scientists say that it is unlikely to turn into a pandemic. The hantavirus typically spreads among rodents and doesn’t spread easily from person to person. Patients with hantavirus become contagious only after they begin showing symptoms. This is unlike Covid-19 or influenza, where asymptomatic patients can unknowingly become superspreaders. The andes strain, infecting the patients on the cruise, has the highest transmission among hantaviruses, and even this strain spread only to people with immediate intimate contact with the infected person. Although the hantavirus has a high mortality rate of 30 to 50%, it doesn’t spread through the population easily, lowering the chances of mass infections and stress on the global medical infrastructure.
Exposure to the hantavirus can cause HPS or HFRS. The symptoms for HPS usually start between 1 to 8 weeks after exposure. Early symptoms include fatigue, fever, and muscle pains. Many patients also experience headaches, dizziness, chills, diarrhea, abdominal pain and vomiting. The early symptoms usually last 4 to 10 days, after which advanced symptoms begin to appear – Patients with HPS have a severe cough and experience shortness of breath. They may feel a tight sensation in their chest, as their lungs start to fill with fluid. About 38% of patients who develop the symptoms of advanced HPS die from the condition.
HFRS is a serious kidney disorder. Symptoms of HFRS develop within 1 to 2 weeks of exposure. The initial symptoms can begin very suddenly, and include intense headaches, back pain, abdominal pain, fever, chills, nausea and blurred vision. Patients may also develop rashes or inflammation in the eyes or skin. As the condition advances, patients also tend to develop low blood pressure, internal bleeding, acute kidney failure and acute shock.
Hantavirus is diagnosed through a blood test, and patient history. The blood test detects specific antibodies in the blood. However, it is very difficult to diagnose a person who has been infected with hantavirus for less than 72 hours, as the test doesn’t provide accurate results in the early incubation period. Test results are reliable once patients have begun showing symptoms. Your doctor may also perform other tests to rule out diseases with similar early-onset symptoms.
There is no specific antiviral treatment or vaccine for hantavirus. However, early detection and symptomatic care can help improve patient outcomes. Patients with severe HPS will be admitted to the ICU and put on breathing support. As the lungs start filling with fluid, the medical staff will monitor the situation, and relieve pressure as needed. The patient may also be intubated, to keep the airways open. Some patients also require additional oxygen and may be put on an ECMO machine. The machine continuously pumps the patients blood through a machine that removes carbon dioxide and pumps in oxygen.
HFRS affects the patient’s kidneys, and their ability to remove toxins, excess fluids and waste from the blood. Patients with HFRS are also usually admitted to intensive care, so doctors can monitor and manage fluid imbalances and kidney failure. Patients may also be put on continuous renal replacement therapy, intravenous antiviral medication or blood transfusions.
You can reduce your risk of contracting Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome mainly by minimizing exposure to rodents and their droppings, especially in enclosed or dusty spaces. Here are some actionable ways you can keep yourself and your family safe:
What are the first symptoms of hantavirus?
Early symptoms usually include fever, fatigue, muscle pain, headaches, chills, nausea, and vomiting. In severe cases, breathing difficulty or kidney problems can develop quickly.
How do humans get hantavirus?
People mainly get hantavirus by inhaling contaminated particles from rodent urine, droppings, or saliva. It can also spread through rodent bites or touching contaminated surfaces.
Can hantavirus spread from person to person?
Most hantavirus strains do not spread easily between humans. Certain strains, like the Andes virus, may rarely spread through close contact, but widespread transmission is uncommon.
Is hantavirus deadly?
Yes, severe hantavirus infections can become life-threatening if not treated early. Conditions like Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) can affect the lungs and breathing.
How is hantavirus diagnosed?
Doctors usually diagnose hantavirus using blood tests that detect antibodies. Imaging tests and patient history may also help confirm the infection and rule out similar illnesses.
Is there a cure or vaccine for hantavirus?
Currently, there is no specific cure or approved vaccine for hantavirus. Early diagnosis, intensive supportive care, oxygen therapy, and monitoring significantly improve survival chances.
How can I protect myself from hantavirus?
Avoid contact with rodents and their droppings, keep spaces clean and ventilated, seal entry points at home, and wear gloves and masks while cleaning contaminated areas.
Which department should I consult for hantavirus symptoms?
If you develop fever, breathing difficulty, or severe flu-like symptoms after rodent exposure, consult the Infectious Diseases Department at Kauvery Hospital for expert evaluation and treatment.
Kauvery Hospital is globally known for its multidisciplinary services at all its Centers of Excellence, and for its comprehensive, Avant-Grade technology, especially in diagnostics and remedial care in heart diseases, transplantation, vascular and neurosciences medicine. Located in the heart of Trichy (Tennur, Royal Road and Alexandria Road (Cantonment), Chennai (Alwarpet, Radial Road & Vadapalani), Hosur, Salem, Tirunelveli and Bengaluru, the hospital also renders adult and paediatric trauma care.
Chennai Alwarpet – 044 4000 6000 • Chennai Radial Road – 044 6111 6111 • Chennai Vadapalani – 044 4000 6000 • Trichy – Cantonment – 0431 4077777 • Trichy – Heartcity – 0431 4077777 • Trichy – Tennur – 0431 4022555 • Maa Kauvery Trichy – 0431 4077777 • Kauvery Cancer Institute, Trichy – 0431 4077777 • Hosur – 04344 272727 • Salem – 0427 2677777 • Tirunelveli – 0462 4006000 • Bengaluru – 080 6801 68011
