THE FUSE

A recent deadly hantavirus outbreak has renewed global concern about a dangerous virus that still has no approved hantavirus vaccine. Although hantavirus infections remain relatively rare, health experts say the disease can become deadly very quickly once symptoms worsen.
Hantavirus spreads mainly through contact with infected rodent urine, saliva, or droppings. People can also inhale contaminated dust particles in enclosed areas like cabins, barns, sheds, or abandoned buildings. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), severe cases of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) can carry fatality rates of around 38%.