Expert Says 3 Cruise Ship Hantavirus Deaths Do Not Signal Next Pandemic

2 articles · Updated · Hawaii News Now · May 15

Three fatalities tied to a cruise ship hantavirus outbreak have stirred concern, but infectious-disease specialist Dr. Scott Miscovich said the virus is not poised to become the next pandemic.
Miscovich said hantavirus spreads far less easily than COVID-19, usually originates from infected rodents, and mutates less often, limiting the emergence of fast-spreading variants.
He cited low case counts to support that view: about 893 cases across the Americas over roughly 15 years and 2,500 to 3,000 cases annually in Europe.
Hawaii residents interviewed said they were mostly watching the numbers rather than panicking, though some said memories of COVID lockdowns still shape how they react to new virus headlines.
The comments frame the cruise ship deaths as a serious but contained outbreak, with public-health lessons from COVID now informing a more measured response.

After a deadly hantavirus outbreak at sea, can the cruise industry prevent the next rare disease spillover?

Hantavirus is notoriously difficult to catch. How did it cause a deadly outbreak on a single cruise ship?