Hantavirus: What to Know and Next Steps for Health Systems
05/21/2026
Medical investigators, physicians, virologists and epidemiologists from Johns Hopkins are available to discuss the latest hantavirus developments, viral containment strategies, global surveillance efforts, steps people can take to protect their health, and communications strategies to effectively share updates about the hantavirus and emerging infectious diseases.
Experts available:
Bhakti Hansoti, M.B.Ch.B., Ph.D., M.P.H., is an emergency medicine physician, an associate professor of emergency medicine, infectious diseases, and international health, and the global health security technical director for the state department-funded Reach Impact, Saturation, and Epidemic (RISE) program. Locally and globally, Hansoti provides technical expertise to support preparedness planning and response coordination related to emerging infectious disease threats.
Jonathan Dyal, M.D., M.P.H., is an emergency medicine physician and an assistant professor of emergency medicine.
Gaby G. Frank, M.D., is a physician, a professor of clinical medicine and director of the Johns Hopkins Special Pathogens Center.
Geeta Sood, M.D., Sc.M., is an infectious diseases physician and an associate professor of medicine.
Contact: If you are a member of the media, please email Jessica Frost at [email protected] or Cassidy Davis at [email protected] if you would like to interview an expert from Johns Hopkins Medicine.
About hantavirus: Hantaviruses are a group of viruses primarily carried by rodents. In the U.S., the most recognized syndrome is hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), a severe respiratory illness. In Europe and Asia, some hantaviruses more commonly cause hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), a severe disease that affects the kidneys.
Officials from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continue to share updates regarding confirmed or suspected cases of the Andes strain of the hantavirus that resulted from a cruise ship with 147 people from 23 different countries traveling across the South Atlantic Ocean. As of May 20, the WHO reports that there have been 11 reported cases and three deaths. Since the Andes strain of the hantavirus is not a highly transmissible virus compared to others, the WHO and the CDC note that the risk for widespread transmission is currently low.
Symptoms and a local response: Symptoms can appear one to eight weeks after exposure and may include fever, headache and muscle aches, as well as stomach pain, nausea or vomiting. A person infected with the virus can experience minor symptoms before experiencing severe breathing problems and respiratory failure.
To mitigate risk for infection, people can take steps to minimize exposure to rat feces or urine, use proper hand hygiene techniques, such as washing hands with soap and water or by using hand sanitizer, and seek medical care following signs of illness. The mechanisms of transmission for the Andes version of the Hantavirus, which spreads through close contact with infected individuals, still aren’t proven. Therefore, healthcare organizations often use droplet precautions, such as using masks and other measures, to reduce exposure to respiratory droplets from coughing, sneezing or talking.
Experts from Johns Hopkins have been following reports of hantavirus infection and preparing emergency response teams to support statewide and global efforts to contain and prevent the spread of disease. This includes taking steps to protect healthcare workers from infection and initiating triaged responses for patients presenting with sudden respiratory illness.
Resources: Johns Hopkins Medicine recently published updated information about hantavirus, and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health recently released a Public Health on Call podcast episode. The World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have created toolkits to explain the hantavirus and are sharing updates from their newsrooms.
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