Concerns about hantavirus have been circulating on social media, including on FOX 13's Facebook page. We saw two key questions we decided to look into: Can it spread from human to human, and could it trigger the next pandemic? Here is what current research and federal health data show.
"I thought hantaviruses could only be spread by exposure to rodent droppings."
Most hantavirus strains are spread by rodents. The Sin Nombre virus — Spanish for "the virus with no name" — was discovered in the Four Corners region in 1993 and is transmitted through deer mice droppings. There is no known case of human-to-human transmission of the Sin Nombre strain. It is a serious illness, but rare, with around 800 known cases in the 33 years since its discovery.
Versions of hantavirus discovered in Asia are spread by arthropods, such as ticks.
Only one strain is known to spread from human to human: the Andes strain, named for the mountain range stretching the length of South America. Even as recently as a 2021 paper published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases, researchers were skeptical that human-to-human transmission had occurred. The Andes strain is primarily transmitted by rodents.
According to the CDC, human-to-human transmission of the Andes strain occurs only through:
- Direct physical contact
- Prolonged time spent in close or enclosed spaces
- Exposure to the infected person's saliva, respiratory secretions, or other body fluids, such as kissing, sharing utensils, or handling contaminated bedding
- (Source: CDC Hantavirus Situation Summary)
WATCH: Health officials confirm 3 Utahns exposed to hantavirus, now in isolation
"Could hantavirus become the next pandemic?"
That is very unlikely. Hantaviruses are serious — there is no easy treatment and no vaccine — but they are fundamentally different from COVID-19. COVID-19 is a coronavirus capable of surviving as tiny airborne particles. Before COVID-19, other coronaviruses were already known to spread easily, even causing common colds. Hantavirus does not share those characteristics.
Why this is getting attention now
The current situation appears to be isolated, but it is prompting new scrutiny of the Andes strain and how it spreads in close environments, such as a small cruise ship. After living through a pandemic, these questions feel more urgent — and that is understandable. Based on current research and federal health updates, the answers are reassuring.
We will continue monitoring this story and following up on your questions.
