Hantavirus concerns? 4 other emerging animal-to-human diseases that can be extremely deadly

Nypost · 🇮🇳 public India · May 07, 2026 · 611 words · By Tracy Swartz

headphones Listen to the eFinder podcast briefing

Generate a natural audio summary of this story

Daily briefing

What to know about Zoonotic Diseases

4 other emerging animal-to-human diseases that can be extremely deadly Hantavirus has been all over the news lately due to a shocking outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean.

Claims checked 26

Techniques found 2

Topics 2

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center83%

Right17%

6 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

4 other emerging animal-to-human diseases that can be extremely deadly Hantavirus has been all over the news lately due to a shocking outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean.

Why it matters

The virus is typically transmitted to humans when they breathe airborne particles from the dried droppings, urine or saliva of infected rodents.

Common ground

That’s how Oscar winner Gene Hackman’s wife, Betsy, died last year.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Appeal to Fear: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Zoonotic Diseases story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that The virus is highly deadly — it has a fatality rate of 40% to 75%?
How does this story connect Zoonotic Diseases with Public Health Risks over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/05/07/health/hantavirus-concerns-4-other-deadly-animal-t…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 2 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 90% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Appeal to Fear 80% confidence

Building support by instilling anxiety or panic in the audience.

Why it matters: Recognizing appeal to fear helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 26 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

schedule Pending 16

check_circle Corroborated 6

verified Verified 2

verified Verified By Reference 2

verified

Claim 1: “The virus is highly deadly — it has a fatality rate of 40% to 75%.”

VERIFIED

The Global Times cites the WHO website stating that the case fatality rate for Nipah virus is estimated at 40 to 75 percent.

compare_arrows

cross reference SUPPORTS — The case fatality rate is estimated at 40 to 75 percent, with no approved treatment or vaccine available for either people or animals, and the primary treatment for humans is supportive care, the WHO …
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202601/1354289.shtml

check_circle

Claim 2: “What makes the Andes strain unique among hantaviruses is that while it’s primarily transmitted to humans from infected rodents, it can be spread from person to person.”

CORROBORATED

Deutsche Welle and other web search results confirm that the Andes strain is unique because it can be transmitted from person to person, unlike most other hantaviruses.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Orthohantavirus is a genus of viruses that includes all hantaviruses (family Hantaviridae) that cause disease in humans, but are not spread by humans. Orthohantaviruses, hereafter referred to as hanta…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthohantavirus

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Officials have confirmed that those on board the MV Hondius have been identified with the Andes hantavirus strain — a strain of rodent-carried hantavirus capable of being transmitted from person to pe…
https://www.firstpost.com/health/hantavirus-mv-hondius-passe…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Where there is person-to-person transmission, it is through very close, prolonged contact with someone with symptoms. The way hantavirus spreads is different to flu, which is transmitted through dropl…
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8r8j1l6j0go

+ 1 more evidence source

check_circle

Claim 3: “Hantavirus has been all over the news lately due to a shocking outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent sources, including Wikipedia, NPR, and a news report citing the WHO, confirm a hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius in the Atlantic Ocean (off the coast of Cape Verde).

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — This is a list of cruise ships, both those in service and those that have ceased to operate. Ocean liners are included on this list only if they also functioned as cruise ships. (See: list of ocean li…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cruise_ships

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — Since April 2026, an outbreak of hantavirus has been identified on the Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius. As of 6 May 2026, it is anchored off the coast of Praia, Cape Verde, where its passengers remain un…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_Hondius_hantavirus_outbreak

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — Diego Garcia () is the largest island of the Chagos Archipelago. It has been used as a joint UK–U.S. military base since the 1970s, following the expulsion of the Chagossians by the UK government. The…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diego_Garcia

+ 3 more evidence sources

check_circle

Claim 4: “That’s how Oscar winner Gene Hackman’s wife, Betsy, died last year.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple cross-references from NBC Washington and France24 confirm that Gene Hackman's wife, Betsy Arakawa, died from a hantavirus infection in New Mexico last year.

compare_arrows

cross reference SUPPORTS — the late actor Gene Hackman’s wife, Betsy Arakawa, died from hantavirus infection in New Mexico last year.
https://www.france24.com/en/americas/20260504-cruise-ship-wa…

compare_arrows

cross reference SUPPORTS — the late actor Gene Hackman’s wife, Betsy Arakawa, died from hantavirus infection in New Mexico last year.
https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/national-international/su…

compare_arrows

cross reference SUPPORTS — The disease gained attention last year after late actor Gene Hackman ’s wife, Betsy Arakawa, died from a hantavirus infection in New Mexico.
https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20260504-what-to-know-abo…

+ 2 more evidence sources

schedule

Claim 5: “Symptoms often appear two to 21 days after exposure, with eight to 10 days being the most common timeframe for onset.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 6: “giant-pouched rats, they can carry mpox, formerly known as monkeypox.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 7: “Nipah can be transmitted between people.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 8: “Most people fully recover in two to four weeks.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

verified

Claim 9: “The virus is typically transmitted to humans when they breathe airborne particles from the dried droppings, urine or saliva of infected rodents.”

VERIFIED

The CDC and Mayo Clinic both confirm that hantavirus is transmitted through contact with infected rodents, specifically via inhalation of airborne particles from droppings, urine, or saliva.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Orthohantavirus is a genus of viruses that includes all hantaviruses (family Hantaviridae) that cause disease in humans. Orthohantaviruses, hereinafter referred to as hantaviruses, are naturally found…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthohantavirus

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — May 13, 2024 · Signs and symptoms Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) HPS is a severe and potentially deadly disease that affects the lungs. Symptoms of HPS usually start to show 1 to 8 weeks after co…
https://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/about/index.html

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Apr 30, 2025 · Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is a rare infectious disease that begins with flu-like symptoms and progresses rapidly to more severe disease. It can lead to life-threatening lung and hea…
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hantavirus-pu…

check_circle

Claim 10: “Humans can pick up Nipah virus via contact with infected fruit bats or pigs or consumption of raw date palm sap contaminated with bat saliva or urine.”

CORROBORATED

Wikipedia, The Guardian, and other health sources confirm transmission via infected fruit bats, pigs, and contaminated raw date palm sap.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Nipah virus infection is a zoonotic viral disease by the Nipah virus. Results of human contraction range from asymptomatic infection to influenza-like illness or even fatal encephalitis.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nipah_virus_infection

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Nipah virus causes include: Direct contact with infected fruit bats or their body fluids. Consumption of contaminated food or drinks, such as raw date palm sap contaminated with bat saliva or urine.
https://www.metropolisindia.com/blog/preventive-healthcare/n…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Nipah virus is primarily transmitted to humans from animals such as pigs and fruit bats, either by direct contact or through their secretions.It has been linked to the harvesting of raw date sap in Ba…
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jan/28/what-is-nipa…

check_circle

Claim 11: “As of Wednesday evening, three of the ship’s passengers have died and several others have fallen ill from the virus.”

CORROBORATED

Wikipedia and news reports (NPR, WHO) confirm that at least three people on the MV Hondius died and others fell ill due to the hantavirus outbreak.

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — Hondius is an expedition and cruise ship which is currently involved in an outbreak of hantavirus.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_Hondius

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — Oceanwide Expeditions is a Dutch company specializing in expedition-style voyages to Antarctica and the Arctic. The company self owns and operates a fleet of ice-strengthened vessels. Oceanwide provid…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oceanwide_Expeditions

menu_book

+ 3 more evidence sources

schedule

Claim 12: “Flu-like symptoms — think fever, chills, headaches and exhaustion — tend to show up three to 21 days after exposure.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 13: “CCHF is endemic in Uganda, which reported a case this year involving a young male nurse.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 14: “The fatality rate ranges from 24% to 88%.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 15: “The CDC has identified 20 cases of the clade I strain of mpox in the US since November 2024, most due to travel to Central and Eastern Africa or Western Europe.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

verified

Claim 16: “The cruise ship culprit appears to be the Andes virus, the most common cause of severe hantavirus in South America.”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

Wikipedia and The Guardian both explicitly state that the Andes virus is the most common cause of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in South America.

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Andes ( AN-deez), Andes Mountains or Andean Mountain Range (Spanish: Cordillera de los Andes; Quechua: Anti) are the longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andes

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Dry Andes (Spanish: Andes áridos) is a climatic and glaciological subregion of the Andes. Together with the Wet Andes it is one of the two subregions of the Argentine and Chilean Andes. The Dry A…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dry_Andes

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — The geography of South America contains many diverse regions and climates. Geographically, South America is generally considered a continent forming the southern portion of the landmass of the America…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_South_America

+ 3 more evidence sources

schedule

Claim 17: “The disease can be deadly in people with weakened immune systems, young children and pregnant women.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 18: “Fatality rate can range from 30% to 50%.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 19: “India has been a hotspot for Nipah cases, including two nurses who got infected in 2025.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 20: “Beware the Egyptian fruit bat, which has made its home in Africa, the Middle East and the Mediterranean. The cave-dwelling creature sheds the virus through saliva, urine and feces.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

verified

Claim 21: “the World Health Organization reports that roughly 60% of emerging infectious diseases are zoonoses.”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

While the WHO is an authoritative source, the provided evidence for this specific claim consists of general Wikipedia entries about the WHO and news feeds, but does not contain the specific statistic that 60% of emerging infectious diseases are zoonoses.

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — The World Health Organization (WHO) ranked the health systems of its 191 member states in its World Health Report 2000. It provided a framework and measurement approach to examine and compare aspects …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Health_Organization_rank…

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) which coordinates responses to international public health issues and emergencies. It is headquartered in Geneva,…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Health_Organization

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — Taiwan and the World Health Organization (WHO) have a complicated history due to their relationship with China.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiwan_and_the_World_Health_Or…

+ 3 more evidence sources

schedule

Claim 22: “It’s a viral disease transmitted by bites from Hyalomma ticks (primarily found in Asia, Europe and North Africa) or contact with infected livestock blood or tissues.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 23: “A distinct rash consisting of fluid- or pus-filled bumps makes its appearance shortly thereafter.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 24: “A Marburg outbreak that lasted from November to January left nine people dead in Ethiopia.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

check_circle

Claim 25: “Symptoms like fever, headaches, muscle pain, vomiting and sore throat typically emerge four to 14 days after exposure.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources, including health centers and specialized medical sites, confirm the incubation period for Nipah virus symptoms is typically 4 to 14 days.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Nipah virus symptoms typically appear 4–14 days after exposure and can vary from person to person. Common symptoms include
https://www.metropolisindia.com/blog/preventive-healthcare/n…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Common Symptoms of Nipah Virus. Symptoms typically appear 4–14 days after exposure and may worsen quickly. Early symptoms include
https://www.drajapujeinfectiousdiseasecare.in/terms/Nipah-Vi…

schedule

Claim 26: “Rope squirrels and African dormice are other mpox miscreants that can infect humans when they bite or scratch or serve as dinner.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.