Another Pandemic ‘Hantavirus’ Hits China, Causes Panic Among People

After a man from China’s Yunnan province tested positive for Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) on Monday and died while on his way back to Shandong Province for work, the virus became a trend on social media, with people panicking that it was another Coronavirus (COVID-19) disease ready to cause a new pandemic.

Ekohotblog gathered that although unlike coronavirus, hantavirus is not airborne.

Humans who contract the hantavirus usually come into contact with rodents that carry the virus.

“Rodent infestation in and around the home remains the primary risk for hantavirus exposure.

“Even healthy individuals are at risk for HPS infection if exposed to the virus,” Centre for Disease Control and Prevention said on its website.

Symptoms of hantavirus

Early symptoms of HPS include fatigue, fever, and muscle aches, along with headaches, dizziness, chills and abdominal problems. If left untreated, it can lead to coughing and shortness of breath and can be fatal, with a mortality rate of 38 percent, according to CDC.

While the initial symptoms of HFRS too remain the same, it can cause low blood pressure, acute shock, vascular leakage, and acute kidney failure.

HPS can’t be passed on from person to person, while HFRS transmission between people is extremely rare.

As per the CDC, rodent population control is the primary strategy for preventing hantavirus infections.

Ekohotblog captured some reactions on social media about the hantavirus: