A recent outbreak of hantavirus on a cruise ship has brought attention to the rare but deadly virus, which is spread through contaminated rodent droppings.

Researchers are testing treatments and vaccines for the virus, which can cause severe symptoms and is often fatal.

The $30 million hunt for hantavirus treatments

Researchers have been trying to find and develop drugs and vaccines, but there hasn't been enough investment to make them available.

A recent outbreak on a cruise ship brought attention to the virus and concern that hantavirus infections could become more common as a changing climate increases contact between people and rodents .

Andes virus: the germ behind the cruise ship outbreak

Hantaviruses usually spread when people inhale contaminated residue of rodent droppings,but there are unique species of hantavirus found in different parts of the world that have their own characteristics and can cause different symptoms.

The Andes virus, the germ behind the cruise ship outbreak, is a particular focus of researchers because it is the only hantavirus thought to be able to spread between people in some cases.

Tocilizumab: a potential treatment for hantavirus pulmonary syndrome

Researchers are testing whether a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis might help fight hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a severe infection caused by both the Andes virus and the Sin Nombre virus.

A study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases reported that four of five patients in an Argentinian hospital survived after receiving the treatment, tocilizumab, in addition to traditional supportive care for hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.

Chile and Argentina: the frontlines of the hantavirus outbreak

The Ministry of Health in Chile has confirmed 15 deaths and 42 cases of hantavirus so far this year.

Authorities in Argentina have reported 32 deaths and 102 cases since June 2025.

What's still unknown

Researchers are still trying to understand the full extent of the hantavirus outbreak and how it will affect people in different parts of the world.