The hantavirus reinstated in the public conversation in the United States. Not due to a massive outbreak —it continues to be a rare disease— but due to recent cases that generated alarm, including the episode report been on a cruise ship with sick and deceased people who are still under health investigation.

The response of the specialists is clear: the risk exists, but is low and focused. It is not a community circulation virus like other respiratory viruses. However, when it appears, it can be serious. According to the Centers to Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), since hantavirus pulmonary syndrome was identified In 1993 just more 800 cases have been confirmed in the United States, with a mortality rate close to 30%–35%.

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Where is risk in the U.S.

The distribution is not uniform. The cases are concentrated mainly in the west of the country, where the habitat of carrier rodents is more common. The states with longer historical record are:

In all these cases, the common factor is the same: contact with wild rodents, in particular the called “deer mouse”, main carrier of the virus in North America.

How hantavirus is spread

Hantavirus is not transmitted from person to person in the United States. Transmission occurs when a person comes into contact with particles contaminated by infected rodents. It is an important fact by brand, an important difference with what and it's happening with the cruise, the infections and quarantines for those who were infected: in South America variants do exist (such as the Andes virus) where person-to-person transmission has been documented, mainly in Argentina and Chile.

The most common way is to inhale dust that contains traces of urine, feces or saliva from these animals. This usually occurs in situations very specific ones: cleaning a closed cabin, entering an abandoned garage or manipulating objects in spaces where there was infestation.

The California Department of Public Health warns that the risk increases in poorly ventilated environments, where the virus can remain suspended in the air during cleaning.

There can also be contagion by touching contaminated surfaces and then bringing your hands to your face, although this route is less common.

The impact of the recent case

The reported episode on a cruise —with sick people and deaths being investigated— amplified concern because it breaks the idea that this is a virus exclusively associated with rural environments.

Experts consulted by US media agree that, even if it were confirmed, it is most likely that the infection is linked to prior exposure to rodents, and not to onboard transmission.

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Hantavirus symptoms: the critical point

One of the problems of hantavirus is that it starts like a common flu. Fever, muscle pain and tiredness are the first symptoms. But, in some cases, in a few days, the disease can evolve towards serious respiratory difficulty.

That's why specialists insist on a key point: the context matters as much as the symptom. If a person has been in contact with environments with rodents and then presents these signs, they should consult immediately.

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How to prevent contagion

Prevention continues to be the most effective tool and is based on avoiding exposure to contaminated dust.

CDC recommendations include ventilating enclosed spaces before cleaning, wearing gloves and a mask and avoiding dry sweeping, as that lifts particles into the air.

It's also key to keep homes rodent-free, seal accesses, and store food safely.

Lastly, doctors and health authorities emphasize that hantavirus is not an everyday risk in the United States, but it is a serious disease in specific contexts. Exposure to rodents in closed spaces remains the main infectious factor.

What are prevention measures

To avoid exposure to hantavirus, it is key to minimize contact with these animals and their contaminated habitats.

In the home and rural areas

Outdoors or in activities