What to know about hantavirus
More than a dozen American cruise passengers are currently under a 42-day quarantine in Nebraska in a specialized medical facility after spending weeks aboard a ship hit with a deadly hantavirus outbreak that infected at least 11 people, including three who died.
Hantavirus is a pathogen that some rodents carry that can sometimes infect humans. The passengers under quarantine are asymptomatic.
This incident is harkening memories of another virus that caused a global pandemic six years ago. But health experts say hantavirus is not the same as COVID-19.
Tuesday on the "Sound of Ideas," we'll learn why by talking to a local epidemiologist, Dr. Tara Smith. Smith will also provide an update regarding the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. Currently, the overall risk to the American public and travelers remains low, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Guest:
- Tara Smith, Ph.D., Professor of Epidemiology, Kent State University