You probably have heard of the hantavirus—that one particular strain found on a cruise ship that has led to multiple deaths. There’s so much information going around about the hantavirus, that it seems confusing and scary, especially with people preparing for a second pandemic and lockdown. Before you panic, let’s compare the two first.
COVID-19 is a strain of the common coronavirus, which is highly contagious, but this particular strain has a 0.8% mortality rate. Symptoms usually appear 2-14 days after exposure, and the symptoms match that of a common cold—alongside loss of taste/smell and diarrhea. As of 2026, over 7 million deaths globally were confirmed from COVID-19, with 1.2 million of those deaths coming from the United States. It was first reported from Wuhan, China in November 2019, and sources say this particular strain came from someone eating a bat. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic robbed the graduating class of 2020 their senior year experiences, and also hindered social development for children and adolescents. Senior Yeslyn Ortez says: “Staying at home all the time was bad”. Consequently, the pandemic also heavily contributed to the surge of social media users, with even younger demographics contributing to the internet at this time and forward.
Hantavirus comes from rodents, with infected rodents carrying the strain and transmitting it through droppings. Usually, there would not be transmission of the virus from human-to-human contact, but this new strain of the hantavirus called the Andes strain, makes human-to-human transmission possible. Because this particular strain is so new, information about it is pretty limited, but here’s what health experts have verified: it is far less contagious than COVID-19, but has a 40% mortality rate. Early symptoms show up 1-8 weeks after exposure to the virus, with fevers, muscle aches, coughs, dizziness, and abdominal pain—with progression towards respiratory failure. Senior Diya Syangbo says: “Unless there’s a cure, stay on the boat. It’ll be worth it as there’s less people harmed.”
Health experts say they have the Andes strain of the Hantavirus contained, but there have been confirmed cases throughout the globe. All those who caught the strain are currently under containment. As of May 8, 2026, there have been two confirmed deaths from the cruise ship where the Andes strain was found.
