05/11/2026
๐๐๐๐ข๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐จ๐ซ'๐ฌ ๐จ๐๐๐ข๐๐ข๐๐ฅ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ญ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ซ๐๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ฏ๐ข๐ซ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐ฌ
๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ฌ ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ ๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฆ, ๐๐๐๐ญ-๐๐๐ฌ๐๐ ๐๐ฐ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐ซ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐ฎ๐ข๐ฌ๐ ๐ฌ๐ก๐ข๐ฉ ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐๐ซ๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐ซ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ฏ๐๐ฅ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ฌ๐จ๐ง.
As public concern grows following reports of a hantavirus-associated-illness cluster linked to cruise ship travel, Dr James Cates, medical director of Satellite Med and medical director of the 11:11 Covid Project, is urging the public to rely on facts, not fear.
"๐ฏ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐
๐๐๐๐ ๐ช๐ถ๐ฝ๐ฐ๐ซ, ๐๐๐, ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐," ๐๐๐๐ ๐ซ๐ ๐ช๐๐๐๐. "๐ด๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐
๐๐ ๐๐๐
๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐. ๐ป๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐
๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐
๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐."
Hantaviruses are usually associated with contact with infected rodents or inhalation of contaminated dust from rodent urine, droppings, saliva, or nesting material. Andes virus, a hantavirus found in South America, is the exception known to spread person to person, but that type of spread is uncommon and typically linked to close contact with someone who is sick.
With the world cup bringing international attention and travel to North America this summer, Dr Cates emphasized that the public should avoid both complacency and alarmism.
"๐ณ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐," Dr Cates says. "๐ป๐๐๐ ๐
๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐. ๐พ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐
๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐
๐๐๐๐๐."
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐๐ข๐ ๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ ๐ค๐ง๐จ๐ฐ:
*Do not sweep or vacuum rodent droppings or nesting material. Wet disinfectant first to avoid stirring contaminated dust into the air.
*Be alert after credible rodent exposure if fever, severe muscle aches, gastrointestinal symptoms, cough, shortness of breath, dizziness, or rapidly-worsening illness develops.
*Seek medical care promptly if concerning symptoms occur after wrote an exposure or close contact with a confirmed / suspected Andes virus case.
*Do not assume every respiratory illness is antivirus. Clinicians evaluate risk based on symptoms, exposure history, travel, and public health guidance.
