The world is not yet done with the current pandemic, COVID-19. However, fears are surfacing across the internet on another potential pandemic, says one article.

A Recent Hantavirus Case in China

According to reports, a Chinese man from Yunnan Province has died while riding a bus. The man tested positive for the hantavirus. Hantavirus is a rare type of virus that originates from rodents. It can be transferred to humans through the rats.

The Chinese man lost his life while he was on his way to Shandong Province, says Global Times. Global Times is a publication in China delivered in the English-language.

Causing Panic

The report had caused panic among the global online community. The tweet of Global Times containing the news had been shared thousands of times. This reaction is not that shocking due to the current situation of the global community amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite the resurfacing of the Hantavirus, everyone should not be worrying.

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The Hantavirus

Hantaviruses are viruses that typically cause infection among rats and other types of rodents. However, the virus does not cause disease among them.

There is a possibility for the virus to be transmitted to humans through the saliva, urine, and feces of rodents. However, this kind of transmission is rare.

Some strains of the hantavirus that are transmitted to humans can result in fatal diseases such as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome is a rare respiratory illness. This syndrome is similar to the symptoms of the COVID-19.

History of the Hantavirus

The hantavirus is named after the Hantan River. It is a river located in South Korea. It was the place where the first outbreak of the virus was reported. It occurred in the 70s. This means that it is an old virus that had been re-emerging in different periods in the past as an outbreak. During its first outbreak, it had been reported in all continents in the world except in Australia.

Annually, there are approximately 150,00 cases of hantavirus worldwide. This record is based on the government of the UK. This record was not updated in almost 12 years. This may be the reason for the insufficiency of the threat of what the world could be dealing with.

The illness has a fatality rate of 36%. However, the cases of the disease are rare.

Is the Hantavirus Something to Worry About?

No. There is a low chance that the hantavirus can cause the next global pandemic.

For decades, many cases of the hantavirus had been reported. This virus is not a new phenomenon. A single case of a human dying from the hantavirus should not be a cause of global concern. Once the case does not constitute an outbreak.

This uncommon virus is rarely spread among humans. However, it is possible to transfer the hantavirus from one person to another. A similar virus was reported in South America in 2005 and 2019. The hantavirus has almost been completely connected to humans having contact with the excrement of rodents.