What in the World - Hantavirus: How worried should we be?

Download Hantavirus: How worried should we be?

A cruise ship in the middle of the Atlantic ocean has been hit by an outbreak of hantavirus. A number of passengers on the MV Hondius have been infected with the virus, and three have died. Some passengers have been evacuated from the ship and it’s currently anchored off Cape Verde, off the West coast of Africa. Spain had agreed to let it dock in the Canary Islands. But now, as we’re recording this podcast, the president of the Canary Islands has said he can’t allow the vessel to dock there.

Hantavirus is a rare disease usually spread from infected rodents. In this episode we tell you everything you need to know about hantavirus and explain why the risk of another COVID-style pandemic is actually really low.

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Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Mora Morrison, Benita Barden and Julia Ross-Roy
Editor: Verity Wilde

Published on Wednesday, 6th May 2026.

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