Acting CDC Director Says Hantavirus Outbreak ‘Is Not COVID’ The acting head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that a hantavirus outbreak on a Dutch cruise ship is not COVID-19 and will not cause a pandemic. He emphasized that health officials do not want to treat it like COVID or cause public panic. The acting CDC Director clarified that hantavirus normally spreads via rodents and is very difficult to contract, with rare person-to-person transmission.

• Hantavirus outbreak on a Dutch cruise ship is not COVID-19.
• The outbreak is not expected to lead to a pandemic.
• Health officials aim to avoid treating it like COVID or causing public panic.
• Hantavirus typically spreads via rodents.
• Hantavirus is very difficult to contract, with rare person-to-person transmission.