Editorial Voice
Malik Thompson
Malik adds context when public updates become scattered or confusing.
Articles using this voice
9 90-Second Reads currently use this editorial voice.
Psychology Today
90-Second Read: Lessons from COVID can inform the psychology of a new public health issue.
May 10, 7:54 AM EDT
Understanding the psychology of disaster-related anxiety and trauma is vital as we face a new public health threat. So, while being aware of the latest information on a new public health issue is important, being fixated on it can increase discomfort and worsen anxiety. As devastating and catastrophic as the COVID-19 pandemic was, we learned some important psychological lessons from it that can help us navigate a new public-health issue in an emotionally healthy way. Recently, news has come out about Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, a virus that, though different from COVID-19, poses a similarly serious risk to those infected. We need to clarify that, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Hantavirus infections are uncommon and are linked to specific environmental exposures whereas COVID-19 quickly became a global pandemic.
politico.eu
90-Second Read: Passengers begin leaving Hantavirus ship at Tenerife
May 10, 5:54 AM EDT
Passengers on the cruise ship at the center of the Hantavirus outbreak started to leave the vessel Sunday morning at the Spanish island of Tenerife, authorities said. All of the more than 100 passengers are being tested for the Hantavirus, which is a rare disease typically caused by exposure to infected rats. The WHO reported on Friday that there are a total of six confirmed cases of the "Andes" Hantavirus variant linked to the cruise ship and two probable cases. The disembarkation was "proceeding normally" and all passengers on the MV Hondius were still asymptomatic, Spain's health minister said. The passengers were being screened by public health authorities before being put on planes to be repatriated to their home countries.
USA Today
90-Second Read: With fears of Hantavirus outbreak, here's the real pandemic risk
May 9, 5:47 PM EDT
A deadly respiratory viral outbreak aboard a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean has spurred fears about another pandemic. The World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention both say the Hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius — which has infected eight people and left three dead — has low risk to public health. In 2026, the United States formally exited WHO, which caught this Hantavirus outbreak through its early warning system. Hantavirus, the name for viruses derived from rodents that can infect humans, aren't typically transmissible from person to person. Still, the current outbreak is a warning sign of what's to come with zoonotic diseases that move from animals to people, public health experts say.
Texas Public Radio | TPR
90-Second Read: Texas epidemiologist: Hantavirus isn’t like COVID
May 9, 5:03 PM EDT
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?
Yahoo
90-Second Read: Hantavirus live updates: Spanish authorities preparing for M/V Hondius arrival
May 9, 12:22 PM EDT
Global health authorities are working to contain an outbreak of Hantavirus aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship. The total number of confirmed cases associated with the outbreak is increasing, health officials said. May 8, 8:32 PM California says 1 resident under monitoring after returning from cruise ship The California Health Department says they are monitoring one former passenger of the cruise ship M/V Hondius for potential Hantavirus infection. More than 100 passengers remain on the ship, including 17 Americans, and the World Health Organization is monitoring their health. Local health officials are in contact with the one returned passenger," the department said in a news release.
NBC News
90-Second Read: Covid-19 cruise passengers recall painful memories amid Hantavirus outbreak
May 9, 7:00 AM EDT
Three passengers from the MV Hondius have died, two of whom had confirmed cases of the Andes strain of the Hantavirus and one with a probable case. The Andes strain of the Hantavirus can be spread person-to-person and is typically found in parts of Argentina, including where the cruise ship departed on April 1. According to cruise operator Oceanwide Expeditions' website, the Hondius has 80 cabins that can accommodate up to 170 passengers. State Department said Friday that it is arranging a flight for the 17 American passengers to be brought to a quarantine facility in Nebraska. And that Tuesday, they said, 'Stay in your room and don't come out.'" As more passengers tested positive, the ship implemented strict safety protocols and everyone went on lockdown.
Medical Xpress
90-Second Read: Hantavirus scare revives COVID-era conspiracy theories
May 9, 6:20 AM EDT
An outbreak of the deadly Hantavirus on a Dutch-flagged cruise ship is reviving conspiracy theories about vaccines, alleged depopulation campaigns and miracle cures that flourished during the COVID pandemic. The almost-immediate resurrection of COVID-19-era conspiracy theories is a reminder that misinformation doesn't simply disappear once the crisis that yielded them is over," said Yotam Ophir, head of the University at Buffalo's Media Effects, Misinformation and Extremism lab. Some further claimed the Hantavirus was a side effect of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccines, misrepresenting a document that showed only that it was one of many "adverse events of special interest" subjected to monitoring, not something caused by the shot. The multilingual misinformation, which dominated online discourse and disrupted public health responses to the coronavirus, resurged even as the World Health Organization insisted Friday.
Forbes
90-Second Read: Hantavirus—How It’s Different From COVID-19 And The U.S. Response
May 8, 8:17 PM EDT
The current strain responsible for the outbreak, known as the Andes strain, is rare and is the only type of Hantavirus known to spread person-to-person. The majority of Hantavirus cases occur through direct contact with infected rodents and do not spread person-to-person. Hantavirus, on the other hand, spreads only through prolonged, sustained contact and cannot spread as effectively and efficiently as COVID-19, making it much less transmissible. More than two dozen passengers already disembarked on the island of Saint Helena on April 24, and then traveled to a dozen different countries, including several passengers to the United States. Within the U.S., several state departments are helping monitor the patients to track symptoms and whether the passengers will need further medical care.
NBC News
90-Second Read: 7 states prepare to receive Americans possibly exposed to Hantavirus
May 8, 7:47 PM EDT
The agency has classified the Hantavirus outbreak as a "level 3," which is the lowest level of concern. State health officials said it's up to the local health department to decide whether to test the Arizona resident for Hantavirus, but noted that any test results would likely be negative since the person is asymptomatic. The strain of Hantavirus involved in the cruise ship outbreak, known as the Andes strain, is the only version known to be transmissible between humans. As early as Sunday, global health authorities will help transport passengers still on board the ship — all of whom are currently asymptomatic — to their respective home countries. The passengers will have their vital signs monitored daily and have access to a team of health care workers, including infectious disease.