{"id":1469164,"date":"2026-05-07T04:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-07T08:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.statnews.com\/?p=1469164"},"modified":"2026-05-07T07:57:40","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T11:57:40","slug":"hantavirus-cruise-ship-outbreak-scientists-say-not-new-pandemic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.statnews.com\/2026\/05\/07\/hantavirus-cruise-ship-outbreak-scientists-say-not-new-pandemic\/","title":{"rendered":"Cruise ship hantavirus outbreak worries experts, though they discount pandemic fears"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The outbreak of hantavirus on a cruise ship moored off the western coast of Africa is gripping a world primed by recent painful experience to be on edge for the next Covid-19-like event. It\u2019s no wonder: People trapped on a ship where a deadly disease might be spreading <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/global-development\/2020\/mar\/06\/inside-the-cruise-ship-that-became-a-coronavirus-breeding-ground-diamond-princess\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">triggers flashbacks<\/a> of the early days of Covid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Scientists and public health experts are gripped by the hantavirus situation too, but for different reasons. They are worried that hantaviruses haven\u2019t been as well studied as they ought to be. They have some concern that more passengers could fall ill. They are not fearful that the MV Hondius is ground zero for the next big one.<\/p><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.statnews.com\/2026\/05\/07\/hantavirus-cruise-ship-outbreak-scientists-say-not-new-pandemic\/?utm_campaign=api\">Read the rest\u2026<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Scientists are worried that hantaviruses haven\u2019t been as well studied as they ought to be, but not that the MV Hondius cruise ship is ground zero for the next pandemic.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":1468996,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"stat_display_restriction_not_latest":false,"stat_featured_image_caption":"An ambulance boat carrying crew members wearing hazmat suits approaches the cruise ship MV Hondius on Tuesday. 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You can reach Helen on Signal at hbranswell.01.","email_address":"","email_url":"","twitter_url":"https:\/\/x.com\/HelenBranswell","twitter_handle":"@HelenBranswell","facebook_url":"","linkedin_url":"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/helen-branswell-22ab936\/","web_url":"","bluesky_url":"https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/helenbranswell.bsky.social","bluesky_handle":"@helenbranswell.bsky.social"}],"stat_card_curation":{"image_id":1468996,"title":"","excerpt":"","video_id":0,"disable_topic_image_curation":false},"template_inline_styles":{"global_styles":":root{--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--square: 1;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--4-3: 4\/3;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--3-4: 3\/4;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--3-2: 3\/2;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--2-3: 2\/3;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--16-9: 16\/9;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--9-16: 9\/16;--wp--preset--color--black: #000000;--wp--preset--color--cyan-bluish-gray: #abb8c3;--wp--preset--color--white: #FFFFFF;--wp--preset--color--pale-pink: 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var(--wp--preset--color--gold-20) !important;}.has-gold-10-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--gold-10) !important;}.has-skin-70-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--skin-70) !important;}.has-skin-60-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--skin-60) !important;}.has-skin-50-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--skin-50) !important;}.has-skin-40-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--skin-40) !important;}.has-skin-30-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--skin-30) !important;}.has-skin-20-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--skin-20) !important;}.has-skin-10-color{color: var(--wp--preset--color--skin-10) !important;}.has-black-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--black) !important;}.has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--cyan-bluish-gray) !important;}.has-white-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--white) !important;}.has-pale-pink-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--pale-pink) !important;}.has-vivid-red-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-red) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-orange-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-orange) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-amber-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-amber) !important;}.has-light-green-cyan-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--light-green-cyan) !important;}.has-vivid-green-cyan-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-green-cyan) !important;}.has-pale-cyan-blue-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--pale-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-cyan-blue-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-purple-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-purple) !important;}.has-teal-50-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--teal-50) !important;}.has-grey-10-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--grey-10) !important;}.has-grey-80-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--grey-80) !important;}.has-grey-40-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--grey-40) !important;}.has-teal-10-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--teal-10) !important;}.has-blue-70-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--blue-70) !important;}.has-blue-60-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--blue-60) !important;}.has-blue-50-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--blue-50) !important;}.has-blue-40-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--blue-40) !important;}.has-blue-30-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--blue-30) !important;}.has-blue-20-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--blue-20) !important;}.has-blue-10-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--blue-10) !important;}.has-teal-70-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--teal-70) !important;}.has-teal-60-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--teal-60) !important;}.has-teal-40-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--teal-40) !important;}.has-teal-30-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--teal-30) !important;}.has-teal-20-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--teal-20) !important;}.has-forest-70-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--forest-70) !important;}.has-forest-60-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--forest-60) !important;}.has-forest-50-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--forest-50) !important;}.has-forest-40-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--forest-40) !important;}.has-forest-30-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--forest-30) !important;}.has-forest-20-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--forest-20) !important;}.has-forest-10-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--forest-10) !important;}.has-green-70-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--green-70) !important;}.has-green-60-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--green-60) !important;}.has-green-50-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--green-50) !important;}.has-green-40-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--green-40) !important;}.has-green-30-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--green-30) !important;}.has-green-20-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--green-20) !important;}.has-green-10-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--green-10) !important;}.has-lime-70-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--lime-70) !important;}.has-lime-60-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--lime-60) !important;}.has-lime-50-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--lime-50) !important;}.has-lime-40-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--lime-40) !important;}.has-lime-30-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--lime-30) !important;}.has-lime-20-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--lime-20) !important;}.has-lime-10-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--lime-10) !important;}.has-yellow-70-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--yellow-70) !important;}.has-yellow-60-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--yellow-60) !important;}.has-yellow-50-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--yellow-50) !important;}.has-yellow-40-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--yellow-40) !important;}.has-yellow-30-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--yellow-30) !important;}.has-yellow-20-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--yellow-20) !important;}.has-yellow-10-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--yellow-10) !important;}.has-peach-70-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--peach-70) !important;}.has-peach-60-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--peach-60) !important;}.has-peach-50-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--peach-50) !important;}.has-peach-40-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--peach-40) !important;}.has-peach-30-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--peach-30) !important;}.has-peach-20-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--peach-20) !important;}.has-peach-10-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--peach-10) !important;}.has-plum-70-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--plum-70) !important;}.has-plum-60-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--plum-60) !important;}.has-plum-50-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--plum-50) !important;}.has-plum-40-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--plum-40) !important;}.has-plum-30-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--plum-30) !important;}.has-plum-20-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--plum-20) !important;}.has-plum-10-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--plum-10) !important;}.has-grey-70-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--grey-70) !important;}.has-grey-60-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--grey-60) !important;}.has-grey-50-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--grey-50) !important;}.has-grey-30-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--grey-30) !important;}.has-grey-20-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--grey-20) !important;}.has-beige-70-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--beige-70) !important;}.has-beige-60-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--beige-60) !important;}.has-beige-50-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--beige-50) !important;}.has-beige-40-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--beige-40) !important;}.has-beige-30-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--beige-30) !important;}.has-beige-20-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--beige-20) !important;}.has-beige-10-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--beige-10) !important;}.has-gold-70-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--gold-70) !important;}.has-gold-60-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--gold-60) !important;}.has-gold-50-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--gold-50) !important;}.has-gold-40-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--gold-40) !important;}.has-gold-30-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--gold-30) !important;}.has-gold-20-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--gold-20) !important;}.has-gold-10-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--gold-10) !important;}.has-skin-70-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--skin-70) !important;}.has-skin-60-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--skin-60) !important;}.has-skin-50-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--skin-50) !important;}.has-skin-40-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--skin-40) !important;}.has-skin-30-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--skin-30) !important;}.has-skin-20-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--skin-20) !important;}.has-skin-10-background-color{background-color: var(--wp--preset--color--skin-10) !important;}.has-black-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--black) !important;}.has-cyan-bluish-gray-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--cyan-bluish-gray) !important;}.has-white-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--white) !important;}.has-pale-pink-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--pale-pink) !important;}.has-vivid-red-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-red) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-orange-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-orange) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-amber-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-amber) !important;}.has-light-green-cyan-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--light-green-cyan) !important;}.has-vivid-green-cyan-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-green-cyan) !important;}.has-pale-cyan-blue-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--pale-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-cyan-blue-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-purple-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-purple) !important;}.has-teal-50-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--teal-50) !important;}.has-grey-10-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--grey-10) !important;}.has-grey-80-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--grey-80) !important;}.has-grey-40-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--grey-40) !important;}.has-teal-10-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--teal-10) !important;}.has-blue-70-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--blue-70) !important;}.has-blue-60-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--blue-60) !important;}.has-blue-50-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--blue-50) !important;}.has-blue-40-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--blue-40) !important;}.has-blue-30-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--blue-30) !important;}.has-blue-20-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--blue-20) !important;}.has-blue-10-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--blue-10) !important;}.has-teal-70-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--teal-70) !important;}.has-teal-60-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--teal-60) !important;}.has-teal-40-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--teal-40) !important;}.has-teal-30-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--teal-30) !important;}.has-teal-20-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--teal-20) !important;}.has-forest-70-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--forest-70) !important;}.has-forest-60-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--forest-60) !important;}.has-forest-50-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--forest-50) !important;}.has-forest-40-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--forest-40) !important;}.has-forest-30-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--forest-30) !important;}.has-forest-20-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--forest-20) !important;}.has-forest-10-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--forest-10) !important;}.has-green-70-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--green-70) !important;}.has-green-60-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--green-60) !important;}.has-green-50-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--green-50) !important;}.has-green-40-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--green-40) !important;}.has-green-30-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--green-30) !important;}.has-green-20-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--green-20) !important;}.has-green-10-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--green-10) !important;}.has-lime-70-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--lime-70) !important;}.has-lime-60-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--lime-60) !important;}.has-lime-50-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--lime-50) !important;}.has-lime-40-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--lime-40) !important;}.has-lime-30-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--lime-30) !important;}.has-lime-20-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--lime-20) !important;}.has-lime-10-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--lime-10) !important;}.has-yellow-70-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--yellow-70) !important;}.has-yellow-60-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--yellow-60) !important;}.has-yellow-50-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--yellow-50) !important;}.has-yellow-40-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--yellow-40) !important;}.has-yellow-30-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--yellow-30) !important;}.has-yellow-20-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--yellow-20) !important;}.has-yellow-10-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--yellow-10) !important;}.has-peach-70-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--peach-70) !important;}.has-peach-60-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--peach-60) !important;}.has-peach-50-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--peach-50) !important;}.has-peach-40-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--peach-40) !important;}.has-peach-30-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--peach-30) !important;}.has-peach-20-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--peach-20) !important;}.has-peach-10-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--peach-10) !important;}.has-plum-70-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--plum-70) !important;}.has-plum-60-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--plum-60) !important;}.has-plum-50-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--plum-50) !important;}.has-plum-40-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--plum-40) !important;}.has-plum-30-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--plum-30) !important;}.has-plum-20-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--plum-20) !important;}.has-plum-10-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--plum-10) !important;}.has-grey-70-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--grey-70) !important;}.has-grey-60-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--grey-60) !important;}.has-grey-50-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--grey-50) !important;}.has-grey-30-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--grey-30) !important;}.has-grey-20-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--grey-20) !important;}.has-beige-70-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--beige-70) !important;}.has-beige-60-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--beige-60) !important;}.has-beige-50-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--beige-50) !important;}.has-beige-40-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--beige-40) !important;}.has-beige-30-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--beige-30) !important;}.has-beige-20-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--beige-20) !important;}.has-beige-10-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--beige-10) !important;}.has-gold-70-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--gold-70) !important;}.has-gold-60-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--gold-60) !important;}.has-gold-50-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--gold-50) !important;}.has-gold-40-border-color{border-color: var(--wp--preset--color--gold-40) 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You can reach Helen on Signal at hbranswell.01.","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/helen-branswell-22ab936\/","https:\/\/x.com\/HelenBranswell"],"url":"https:\/\/www.statnews.com\/staff\/helen-branswell\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.statnews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1469164","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.statnews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.statnews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.statnews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.statnews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1469164"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.statnews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1469164\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1469321,"href":"https:\/\/www.statnews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1469164\/revisions\/1469321"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.statnews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1468996"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.statnews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1469164"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.statnews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1469164"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.statnews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1469164"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.statnews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/authors?post=1469164"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}