Is this hantavirus thing something to worry about?

I think it’s spread by rodents. I am not too worried but it’s good to keep away from rodents

When I'm cruising, I generally order the fish. Rarely the rodent.

It’s some rare strain that can be transmitted from person to person. They showed some passenger really freaked out.

Yes but they say it’s transmitted by rodents. Through inhalation of particles from their urine etc not person to person. Not from touch

Now they are saying it’s worse than they thought and there’s a 40% mortality rate. Some guy in Switzerland has it now.

No, it is not something to worry about. It lives on surfaces for only a few days and requires repeated, constant exposure to make it into your system. A cruise ship is a perfect incubator for such viruses. The places you frequent in your town or city do not.

What is hantavirus? Symptoms, transmission and treatment explained News | University of Florida

Cruises are known for spreading viruses because of close quarters

I don’t get why they were let out of the cruise because now they are looking at 2 possible cases in Georgia

Did they get treatment? I think it’s better for sick people not to stay on the cruise and spread viruses to everyone.

Idk but now they are finding cases around the world. Some scientists are figuring out a vaccine.

In Chile it is a problem. The rat that spreads it is common in the south of the country. It's mainly an issue when people have vacation homes/cabins that are not used all year round. The rats leave their feces/urine in the empty home and people get it when they come back to use it. The Health Ministry does regular campaigns about how to safely clean a home when it's been closed up for a while.

The WHO director says it’s not a big threat but they said that about Covid too.

WHO did not say that COVID-19 was "not a big threat" at the time:

WHO Director-General's opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19 - 11 March 2020

First case in France was reported. The person was not on the cruise ship.

This virus has been around for centuries. The media is using a tragedy to spread fear. The couple that died were in a landfill where they came in contact with the rodent droppings. They got a type that is in South America and and does get passed on in close proximity. But it is a South American strain. In USA there’s approximately 900 cases a year, mostly in the western states especially the four corners area. The likely hood of this spreading is slim.