90-Second Read: Texas epidemiologist: Hantavirus isn’t like COVID

An outbreak of Hantavirus on a cruise ship has many asking whether the disease could spread beyond the vessel where three people died and many passengers left before the disease was identified onboard. Catherine Troisi, a professor of epidemiology at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, says Hantavirus risks don't resemble those of COVID-19. This transcript has been edited lightly for clarity: Texas Standard: What are the symptoms around Hantavirus and how's it spread? So we see it in the United States, particularly in drier states, southwest states, Arizona, Colorado… We have seen cases in Texas, but not very many over the years. And just to be clear, those cases in Texas are unrelated to this cruise ship, right?

And I think part of the fear is that COVID — we saw those first a lot, not the very first — but a lot of the first cases on cruise ships. So that's one big difference between how COVID is spread and how Hantavirus is spread. Well, there are always things you should be doing to keep yourself healthy, but to prevent getting infected with Hantavirus, nothing that you should be doing because of these cases. We've only been testing, keeping track of cases since 1993. There are two Texans who were on that ship who have returned to Texas.

Catherine Toisi: So, Hantavirus is spread from rodents through their urine, feces, saliva or if you get bitten by a rat also can spread the disease. And I think a question that a lot of people have is how are public health officials making sure that the outbreak is contained and being monitored? And even if one of them or both of them do show signs of infection, again, Hantavirus is not easy to transmit. But one of the hallmarks of COVID that made it so transmissible was that people who were infected, but didn't have any symptoms yet, could get another person infected. The virus is transmitted to humans via rodents, or it can be passed by very close contact between people.

So, compared to COVID-19, the communicability, there's really no similarity from what I understand you to be saying here. They've made deposits and then you're cleaning out the cabin for example, you can be exposed to Hantavirus that way. They are being monitored by the department of state health services. Obviously they were in very close contact so they are being monitored for symptoms, but you know, I would guess nothing's gonna happen. Your gift helps pay for everything you find on texasstandard.org and KUT.org.