Hantavirus is a warning. The Trump admin isn’t listening

Summary: A recent outbreak of hantavirus on a cruise ship has people worried about another pandemic. The virus is very dangerous, causing heart and kidney failure, and kills about 35% of the people who catch it. It recently caused the death of Betsy Arakawa, a concert pianist and wife of actor Gene Hackman.

Unlike COVID-19, hantavirus is spread by rodents and does not spread easily between people. Health experts say the current risk to the public is low. However, some politicians are already using the news to spread fear or push fake cures like ivermectin. Doctors warn that recent cuts to health programs mean the government might not be ready when a real pandemic hits.

For more details, see Salon at salon.com/2026/05/11/hantavirus-is-a-warning-the-trump-admin-isnt-listening/?utm_source=website&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=ogshare&utm_content=og (opens in new tab)