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SEATTLE - The Centers for Disease Control has told King County leaders that multiple residents in the western Washington area had exposure to a person who tested positive for a strain of the virus that is linked to the hantavirus outbreak that killed multiple people on a cruise ship last week.
As more residents learn about the type of hantavirus that is spreading in this outbreak, the rare Andes virus, more questions will rise about signs to look for and if this is "the next COVID-19." As for the latter question, right now, the World Health Organization says it is not.
What they're saying:
"This is not the next COVID, but it is a serious infectious disease," said Maria Van Kerkhove, director of epidemic and pandemic preparedness at the World Health Organization. "Most people will never be exposed to this."
According to a report from the Associated Press, "the virus usually spreads when people inhale contaminated residue of rodent droppings. But the hantavirus that has caused the current outbreak, called the Andes virus, may be able to spread between people in rare cases. Because of this, health officials are taking extra precautions with passengers returning to their home countries."
Passengers from the hantavirus-stricken cruise ship MV Hondius arrive at Eindhoven Airport on May 12, 2026, after being evacuated from Tenerife on chartered flights organized by the Dutch government.The cruise ship experienced an outbreak of hantavir …
What kind of hantavirus is linked to King County residents?
There are two kinds of hantaviruses. The Old World strains are found in Europe and Asia and impact the kidneys, while the New World strains are found in North America and South America and affect the lungs.
The kind of virus spreading on the cruise ship was part of the New World strain of viruses, specifically the Andes virus strain, according to PBS. This Andes virus is being monitored amongst three King County residents.
A more well-known type of New World virus is the Sin Nombre virus. This is believed to be the cause of Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman's wife in March 2025.
What is the hantavirus mortality rate?
According to the World Health Organization, hantavirus infections can be fatal, and are markedly deadlier in the Americas than in Asia or Europe.
By the numbers:
WHO reports the case fatality rate is as high as 50% in the Americas, and between 1–15% in Asia and Europe. This is due to the virus' relative rarity in North and South America.
Will there be a hantavirus epidemic?
The kind of virus receiving increased media attention now, the Andes virus, is not new. The rarity and lack of previous exposure at scale, combined with increased concerns about possible human-to-human transmission, are causing medical leaders around the world to keep a closer eye on it.
"Health officials have called the hantavirus cases on the cruise ship a "cluster" and an "'outbreak'' — defined as a higher number of cases than would be expected in a population. The word "epidemic" is generally used when there's a more dramatic rise in cases or if a disease is spreading rapidly," said Susan Montoya Bryan for the Associated Press on May 11.
How are hantavirus infections spread?
Rodents are the main cause of infections of various hantavirus strains. People get infected when they come into contact with rodent saliva, droppings, or urine, according to Harvard Health.
"Early symptoms of the disease include fatigue, fever, and muscle aches, especially in the large muscle groups - thighs, hips, back, and sometimes shoulders. About half of all people infected also experience headaches, dizziness, chills, and abdominal problems such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Four to 10 days later, other symptoms may appear, including coughing and shortness of breath, as the lungs fill with fluid," read a Harvard Health Publishing piece, reviewed by Robert H. Shmerling, MD.
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The Source: Information in this article came from published articles by the Associated Press, Harvard Health, PBS, and the CDC and original FOX 13 Seattle reporting.