Hantavirus sparks pandemic fears despite limited evidence of human transmission

Illustration of a hantavirus, a rodent-borne virus that causes flu-like symptoms that eventually cause the lungs to fill with fluid, making breathing difficult.[AFP]

The recent hantavirus outbreak has drawn attention from both medical experts and the general public worldwide, with growing questions over whether the respiratory illness could trigger a pandemic similar to COVID-19.

Hantaviruses are zoonotic viruses that naturally infect rodents such as rats and mice and are occasionally transmitted to humans. Infection in humans can result in severe illness and, in some cases, death, although the diseases vary depending on the type of virus and geographical location.