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Scientists had to shelve hantavirus vaccine as funding ran out before outbreak | The Jerusalem Post

Jpost · · 585 words · By ASHER SMITH
open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.jpost.com/science/article-896749

fact_checkFact-Check Results

9 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.

check_circle Corroborated 5
verified Verified By Reference 2
info Single Source 2
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“Scientists developing a potential vaccine for hantavirus halted key research efforts after running out of funding during trials in 2016”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results confirm that scientists (specifically Barría's team) developed antibodies by 2016 but lacked funding for human trials, leading to the research being stalled.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2012 Yosemite hantavirus outbreak was an outbreak of hantavirus infections linked to visits to Yosemite National Park in California, United States, during 2012. The outbreak was unusual and repres…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_Yosemite_hantavirus_outbr…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Andes virus (ANDV) is a cause of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) in Chile and Argentina. The virus is carried and transmitted mainly by the long-tailed pygmy rice rat (Oligoryzomys longicaudatus).…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andes_virus
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Hantavirus infection or hantavirus disease is an infectious disease of humans caused by viruses in the Orthohantavirus genus of viruses. It can result in hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) o…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hantavirus_infection
+ 3 more evidence sources
verified
“the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed multiple infections and at least three deaths connected to an outbreak involving the Andes strain of the virus aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship, which left Argentina on April 1”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
The Wikipedia entry for 'MV Hondius hantavirus outbreak' explicitly confirms an outbreak of the Andes virus on the MV Hondius in April 2026, mentioning confirmed cases and three deaths.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Andes virus (ANDV) is a cause of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) in Chile and Argentina. The virus is carried and transmitted mainly by the long-tailed pygmy rice rat (Oligoryzomys longicaudatus).…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andes_virus
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Hantavirus infection or hantavirus disease is an infectious disease of humans caused by viruses in the Orthohantavirus genus of viruses. It can result in hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) o…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hantavirus_infection
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — In April 2026, an outbreak of hantavirus infection caused by the Andes virus was identified on the Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius. There are nine confirmed cases and two suspected cases directly linked …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_Hondius_hantavirus_outbreak
+ 3 more evidence sources
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“the Andes variant can spread from person to person”
CORROBORATED
Five independent cross-references (The Hindu, RT News, France24, Nypost) all state that the Andes strain is the only hantavirus capable of human-to-human transmission.
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cross reference SUPPORTS — Andes strain of hantavirus... is known to have limited capability of human-to-human transmission
https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/health/indian-nationals-pa…
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cross reference SUPPORTS — The outbreak was caused by the Andes strain of hantavirus – the only one known to be capable of human-to-human transmission through close contact.
https://www.rt.com/news/639846-british-parachute-hantavirus-…
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cross reference SUPPORTS — Health officials confirmed the presence of the rare Andes strain, the only known form of the virus capable of human-to-human transmission.
https://www.france24.com/en/africa/20260506-three-infected-p…
+ 2 more evidence sources
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“María Inés Barría, a virologist and researcher at Universidad San Sebastián in Chile, developed antibodies to treat hantavirus and successfully neutralized it in 2016”
CORROBORATED
Web search results confirm María Inés Barría of Universidad San Sebastián (and Universidad de Concepción) developed antibodies that neutralized hantavirus by 2016.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Strait of Magellan (Spanish: Estrecho de Magallanes), also called the Straits of Magellan, is a navigable sea route in southern Chile separating mainland South America to the north and the Tierra …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strait_of_Magellan
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 1540s decade ran from 1 January 1540, to 31 December 1549.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1540s
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web search NEUTRAL — Barria's team developed antibodies neutralizing hantavirus by 2016 but lacked funding for human trials.The antibodies developed in the immunovirology lab at the Universidad de Concepcion, about 300 mi…
https://www.ndtv.com/health/hantavirus-scientists-were-close…
+ 2 more evidence sources
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“After successful animal testing, the lab was ready to begin testing on human subjects when they ran out of money and had to end their research prematurely”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web sources confirm that after successful animal trials, the research team was ready for human testing but ran out of money, causing the research to end prematurely.
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web search NEUTRAL — After later success in animal trials, the lab was ready to work with international partners to start testing on humans. Then they ran out of money. Now that same strain of hantavirus, the only one kno…
https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/we-were-close-then…
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web search NEUTRAL — Barria's team developed antibodies neutralizing hantavirus by 2016 but lacked funding for human trials.After later success in animal trials, the lab was ready to work with international partners to st…
https://www.ndtv.com/health/hantavirus-scientists-were-close…
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web search NEUTRAL — Researchers working on hantavirus treatments are back in focus after a cruise ship outbreak infected multiple people. According to Bloomberg News, Chilean scientists had achieved encouraging results i…
https://www.indiatvnews.com/health/hantavirus-outbreak-vacci…
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“Kartik Chandran, a professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, has been incrementally developing a vaccine and an antibody treatment”
CORROBORATED
Two separate web search results (including Bloomberg) confirm that Professor Kartik Chandran at Albert Einstein College of Medicine is developing a vaccine and antibody treatment.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Through the Wormhole is an American science documentary television series narrated and hosted by American actor Morgan Freeman. It began airing on Science Channel in the United States on June 9, 2010.…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Through_the_Wormhole
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web search NEUTRAL — But there are promising vaccines and treatments in development. And some of them, experts said, could be moved through the pipeline rapidly if hantavirus interventions became a priority.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/09/science/hantavirus-vaccin…
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web search NEUTRAL — Barría and Chile weren’t alone in working on hantavirus, though progress has been incremental. Kartik Chandran, a professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, has been developing a vaccine an…
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-05-13/hantaviru…
+ 1 more evidence source
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“results have shown effectiveness in protecting against the Andes strain in early trials”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided evidence for this claim consists of search results for 'Kartik Aaryan' (an actor) and 'Kartik Sharma' (a cricketer), which are irrelevant to Professor Kartik Chandran. No evidence was provided confirming the results of his trials.
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web search NEUTRAL — Kartik Aaryan (born Kartik Tiwari; 22 November 1990) [1][2] is an Indian actor who primarily works in Hindi cinema. He appeared in Forbes India 's Celebrity 100 list in 2019, and his accolades include…
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kartik_Aaryan
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web search NEUTRAL — 50M Followers, 1,299 Following, 3,370 Posts - KARTIK AARYAN (@kartikaaryan) on Instagram: " ️🔥"
https://www.instagram.com/kartikaaryan/
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web search NEUTRAL — 3 days ago · After Kartik Sharma raised his half-century against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) with a cracking six over extra-cover off Mohammed Shami, he had the usually stoic Stephen Fleming applauding…
https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/ipl-2026-with-kartik-shar…
verified
“there have been 39 confirmed infections and at least 13 deaths, according to the Chilean Health Ministry”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
The provided evidence contains general information about Chile and a WHO report mentioning 8 confirmed cases and 3 deaths for the cruise ship cluster, but nothing mentioning '39 confirmed infections and 13 deaths' from the Chilean Health Ministry.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Chile: Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the wo…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outline_of_Chile
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — In Chile, workers have the right to form and join unions without prior authorization, and approximately 10% of the total work force is unionized. The law allows unions to conduct their activities with…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labor_rights_in_Chile
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, extending along a narrow strip of land betwee…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chile
+ 3 more evidence sources
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“the global COVID-19 crisis diverted resources”
SINGLE SOURCE
While there is a mention of COVID-19 lessons and the pandemic in the context of hantavirus, the provided evidence does not explicitly corroborate the specific claim that resources for the hantavirus vaccine were diverted due to COVID-19 across multiple independent sources.
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web search NEUTRAL — The virus is significantly more lethal than Covid-19, with a fatality rate of up to 50percent in severe cases, yet it is far less likely to cause a pandemic.
https://nation.africa/kenya/health/covid-19-fears-why-hantav…
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web search NEUTRAL — The experience from the COVID-19 pandemic offers several important lessons for a U.S. response that limits fear, confusion and unnecessary escalation while ensuring the country remains ready if risks …
https://www.forbes.com/sites/omerawan/2026/05/11/lessons-the…
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web search NEUTRAL — Is the coronavirus vaccine safe? Now that the first COVID19 vaccine from Pfizer is being released, how do mRNA vaccines work?Are Vaccines Causing Magnetism? ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=the81FQoAUI
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.