Hantavirus: the risks, the science and what you need to know
5/8/202613 min
On May 2, the World Health Organization got an alarming report: People aboard a ship in the Atlantic Ocean were falling ill. The culprit is now confirmed as hantavirus, a pathogen that some rodents carry that can infect humans in rare, but often deadly, instances. Multiple passengers have died, and more people are showing symptoms. So, we’re talking to Emily Abdoler, an infectious disease doctor at the University of Michigan, about the news – how common is hantavirus in humans, what are the consequences of getting it, and how can at-risk people protect themselves from it?
If you found this episode interesting, listen to our episode on Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
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First 90 secondsSpeaker 00:00
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Emily Kwong· Host0:15
[instrumental music] You're listening to Short Wave from NPR. On May 2nd, the World Health Organization got an alarming report that a ship in the South Atlantic was in trouble, and multiple passengers aboard were severely sick with symptoms that seemed flu-like, but more serious. Some cases eventually evolved into a respiratory illness, and as of this recording, Thursday afternoon at 4:00 Eastern, three people have died, and experts have confirmed at least some of those cases were caused by hantavirus. Some passengers have since been medically evacuated, but the rest are still on board socially distancing. Jake Rosmarin is one of them and posted a video to social media.
Jake Rosmarin· Soundbite1:00
[instrumental music] I am currently on board the MV Hondas, and what's happening right now is very real for all of us here. We're not just a story. We're not just headlines. We're people, people with families, with lives, with people waiting for us at home.
Emily Abdoler· Guest1:21
I can't even imagine the stress.
Emily Kwong· Host1:27
Emily Abdollar is an infectious disease