What Is Hantavirus? What to Know About the Deadly Disease Spread by Rodents
A suspected outbreak on a cruise ship has killed three people and renewed attention to a rare but lethal virus with no cure
Three people are dead and several others are ill after a suspected hantavirus outbreak aboard a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean, the World Health Organization said Sunday.
While hantavirus doesn’t normally spread between humans, the exception is a strain of the virus primarily found in Chile and Argentina, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That is crucial because the high-end cruise to exotic locales departed from one of most southern cities in South America, a port in Argentina known as the end of the world.
Here is what to know about the rare but potentially deadly disease.
What is hantavirus?
Hantavirus is a family of viruses carried by rodents such as mice and rats and spread to humans through contact with infected urine, droppings or saliva. In the Americas, the most dangerous form is hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, or HPS, a severe lung infection. In Europe and Asia, a related illness called hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, or HFRS, attacks the kidneys.
How does it spread?
Hantavirus exposure often occurs in enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces—homes, cabins or sheds—where rodent activity is present.
The disease gained widespread attention in February 2025, when Betsy Arakawa, the wife of actor Gene Hackman, died of HPS at their home in Santa Fe, N.M. Hackman died a week later of cardiovascular disease.
Can hantavirus spread from human to human?
Not usually. The CDC says hantavirus doesn’t spread from person to person in the U.S. The exception is the Andes virus, a strain found primarily in Chile and Argentina, which has shown limited evidence of human-to-human transmission, according to the CDC.
That strain is relevant to the current cruise-ship investigation: The MV Hondius, which can carry about 170 passengers, departed roughly seven weeks ago from Ushuaia, a city in southern Argentina known as the end of the world. It made stops in Antarctica and the British territory of Saint Helena before anchoring Sunday off Praia, the capital of Cape Verde.
What are the symptoms of hantavirus?
Symptoms of HPS, the lung infection, typically appear between one and eight weeks after exposure, according to the CDC. Early symptoms include:
- Fever
- Muscle aches, particularly in the thighs, hips, back and shoulders
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Chills
Gastrointestinal problems, including nausea, vomiting and diarrhea
Four to 10 days after early symptoms appear, HPS can progress to:
- Coughing
- Shortness of breath
- Tightness in the chest
- Fluid in the lungs
How dangerous is it?
About 38% of people who develop respiratory symptoms from HPS die, according to the CDC. There is no vaccine and no specific treatment: Doctors can only manage symptoms and support breathing. Early stages of the illness are similar to the flu, which can delay diagnosis.
How is it treated?
There is no specific antiviral treatment, according to the CDC. Instead, patients receive supportive care such as rest, hydration and symptom management. Those with severe breathing difficulties might need to be placed on a ventilator. The earlier a patient receives medical attention, the better the chance of survival.