Hantavirus Unlikely to Reach Pandemic Scale, Report Says
NEW DELHI — Hantavirus is unlikely to spread on a pandemic scale because it has a low rate of person-to-person transmission, according to a new report.
The report from Elara Capital said hantavirus infections can be severe but generally remain localized and self-limiting. It also said there have been no widely reported or officially confirmed deaths in India linked to the current outbreak.
Hantaviruses are rodent-borne RNA viruses that primarily infect humans through inhalation of aerosolized particles from rodent urine, droppings or saliva. The report said only some strains, particularly the Andes strain, have shown rare person-to-person transmission.
The report contrasted hantavirus with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, noting that COVID-19 spread rapidly and reached pandemic scale while hantavirus does not transmit nearly as easily.
Hantavirus infections remain rare worldwide, and there are no specific U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved vaccines or antiviral treatments available.
Two major clinical syndromes have been associated with hantavirus globally. Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, seen in the Americas, can cause severe respiratory failure and has mortality rates of 40% to 50%. Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome, found in Europe and Asia, affects the kidneys and blood vessels and can have mortality rates of up to 15% in severe cases.
A recent 2026 cluster aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius, linked to the Andes strain, drew attention after a small number of cases and three deaths. However, the report said the spread remained limited.
The first recognized outbreak of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome occurred in 1993 in the Four Corners region of the United States, which includes parts of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah. That outbreak was caused by the Sin Nombre virus and resulted in 53 cases and 32 deaths.
China reported 210,000 cases of Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome from 2004 to 2019, with about 1,855 related deaths. In the United States, 864 hantavirus infections were reported between 1993 and 2022, with about 302 deaths. (Source: IANS)
