Hantavirus Less Likely to Cause Pandemic Due to Transmission Unlike COVID-19

The recent cluster of Hantavirus cases on a cruise ship, which led to several deaths, has understandably caused concern. However, as public health medicine expert Prof. Dr. Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh explains, Hantavirus operates very differently from viruses like COVID-19. Unlike the easily airborne transmission of coronaviruses, Hantavirus primarily spreads through contact with infected rodents or their contaminated waste.

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Hantavirus is less likely to become a pandemic like Covid-19 because its transmission depends on carrier animals, especially rats, while human-to-human transmission is very rare.

This distinction is crucial. While the virus can be inhaled, it requires specific conditions, such as disturbing dried rodent droppings. The rare instances of human-to-human transmission, like with the Andes strain, necessitate close contact. This fundamental difference in transmission pathways significantly lowers its potential to become a global pandemic.

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The virus is excreted through the urine, feces, and saliva of rats and can spread when the excreta is disturbed (e.g., sweeping) or dries, becoming airborne particles that can be inhaled by humans.

Malaysia's Ministry of Health, as reported by Utusan Malaysia, is closely monitoring the global situation, assuring the public that no Malaysians were aboard the affected cruise ship. This proactive stance reflects the nation's commitment to public health security, even when the immediate risk is low. The focus remains on preparedness and vigilance, understanding that while Hantavirus poses a threat, its epidemiological characteristics do not align with pandemic-level spread.

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Although the situation is under control and does not involve Malaysians, the Ministry of Health will continue to closely monitor the development of the outbreak globally and regionally.