Trump: US Experts Studying Hantavirus, Calling It More Complex Than COVID-19

American experts are conducting a detailed study of Hantavirus, which President Donald Trump described as "more complex than COVID-19" by its nature, while insisting the situation remains under control. Speaking to reporters outside the White House, Trump stated, "Everything is under very good control. They know this virus very, very well. It's been around for a long time, not as simple as COVID, but let's see. We are studying it very closely. We have great experts dealing with it."

The president also noted that Hantavirus is well-known to scientists and, unlike COVID-19, does not easily transmit from person to person—a point consistent with available medical knowledge. Hantaviruses are a genus of viruses transmitted to humans through contact with infected rodents (such as mice and rats) or by inhaling dust contaminated with their urine or droppings. They can cause two main forms of disease: Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), which affects the lungs and causes severe breathing difficulty with a fatality rate reaching 50%, and Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS), which affects the kidneys and can lead to kidney failure.

Transmission and Current Outbreak

Unlike the coronavirus, which spreads rapidly through respiratory droplets, human-to-human transmission of Hantavirus is extremely rare. Most strains are only known for limited transmission from rodents to humans. The only strain documented with limited human-to-human transmission is the Andes virus, responsible for the current outbreak. The World Health Organization previously confirmed seven Hantavirus cases aboard the Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius, which was traveling from Argentina to Cape Verde. Three people have died, and another is in intensive care in South Africa.

The outbreak-causing virus has been identified as the Andes virus, one of the rare strains capable of human-to-human spread. However, the WHO emphasized that the public health risk remains low, stressing there is no need for panic or travel restrictions. The ship is currently heading to the Canary Islands (Spain) to end its voyage, with health authorities monitoring passengers and crew.

Vaccine Development

The Trump administration's interest in Hantavirus comes at a time when vaccine development is still under research, with no approved vaccine currently available for preventing infection. Separately, Alexander Gintsburg, director of Russia's Gamaleya Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology, announced that developing a vaccine against Hantavirus could take about a year and a half, asserting that the necessary knowledge is already in place.