UMVA has learned that rising hantavirus cases are sending shockwaves through the United States, with many Americans drawing uncomfortable parallels to the devastating COVID-19 pandemic.
While the coronavirus originated abroad and spread rapidly around the world, experts warn that hantavirus is unlikely to behave in the same way. The rare Andes virus, linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship outbreak, is the only known hantavirus strain capable of spreading from person to person, usually through prolonged close contact.
Dr. Marc Siegel, renowned medical expert, shared his insights with UMVA about the similarities and differences between hantavirus and coronavirus. He noted, "There's no comparison. They're like apples and oranges." The two viruses share one common trait: they're both single-stranded RNA viruses. However, hantavirus has remained unchanged for decades, unlike the coronavirus, which began to mutate, causing widespread problems.
According to Dr. Siegel, the key difference lies in their transmission methods. COVID-19 is an airborne virus, while hantavirus is primarily a secretion-borne virus, although it can be transmitted through dust and droppings in the air.
Dr. Siegel explained that while coronavirus "moved in the direction of humans in a significant way," hantavirus has only shown rare human-to-human transmission. He added that certain factors are changing, including warming temperatures that are causing rodents to migrate north toward Buenos Aires, potentially increasing the risk of hantavirus spread.
The current outbreak stemming from the cruise ship didn't help, but Dr. Siegel emphasized that it doesn't suggest the virus has changed. Instead, it highlights how close quarters on a ship are conducive to spread. He reiterated, "Every day that goes by shows that we're not seeing a second generation of spread." The better comparison, he said, is between hantavirus and bird flu, which is predominantly an animal-based virus that occasionally infects humans.
Dr. Siegel is more concerned about the flu than hantavirus, citing its airborne nature and ability to mutate frequently. "Most infectious disease specialists are much more worried about flu than this, as deadly as this can be," he said. "We're talking apples and oranges, and any comparison you make after that provokes fear.
