90-Second Read: Arizona man who survived Hantavirus 24 years ago, but lost mom and sister, says recent outbreak is "hard" to process

In 2002, Zermeño found out he contracted Hantavirus after cleaning the family house following the death of his mother and sister. Updated on: May 8, 2026 / 9:55 PM EDT / CBS News Twenty-four years ago, Arizona photojournalist Gilbert Zermeño, who contracted Hantavirus after losing both his mother and sister to the illness, says news of the recent outbreak has been hard to process. Health officials around the world are monitoring the deadly Hantavirus outbreak linked to a Dutch-flagged cruise ship that has caused nine confirmed or suspected cases, including three deaths. I imagine I got the same feeling that every person who's ever contracted Hantavirus and still deals with the effects afterwards of it," Zermeño told CBS News' "The Daily Report." "It takes you back, and it's no less.

Ann Lindstrand, a World Health Organization representative in Cape Verde, told CBS News Tuesday that there was no risk of a pandemic-level threat given the low likelihood of human-to-human transmission. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention In a statement Wednesday, Dr. Listen to your medical professionals and have a plan in the event that you do feel that you were exposed to the Hantavirus or to someone who had Hantavirus. The likelihood of you catching it from a person-to-person is minuscule.

He had been exposed to rodent droppings and became infected. He had been exposed to rodent droppings and became infected and spent several days in a Phoenix hospital. Zermeño believes online misinformation about the illness has panicked some of the public because of the word "virus." "But I'm here to just tell people, look, you need to do some research on this because it's not as scary as COVID-19 was. He said the rarity of the illness complicated his own diagnosis and treatment, but with the help of family members in the medical community, he was able to get a proper diagnosis.