The pandemic that broke out less than five years ago killed over 7.1 million people. Social media helped slow the spread by giving tips on how to stay safe and informed during the COVID outbreak.
Independent journalists across platforms such as TikTok and Instagram have taken the initiative of spreading the word about the Hantavirus outbreak. Younger generations tend to get their news from social media, and this coverage of Hantavirus has helped the public gain knowledge on the situation, which is important in lessening the odds of a worldwide outbreak.
While the majority of Hantavirus strains are only able to be spread through airborne particles of urine, feces or saliva of infected rodents, this does not apply to the Andes virus, the strain at the heart of recent social media attention. The strain, stemming from South America, can be spread through physical close contact with an infected person. It is also able to be spread through bodily fluids such as saliva. New World Hantaviruses, like the Andes virus, tend to affect the lungs. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the virus has roughly a 35 to 50 percent fatality rate. If this virus is not taken as seriously, the consequences could be severe on a global scale, similar to the likes of COVID.
WHO released a statement discussing the situation aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius, a Dutch-flagged polar exhibition cruise. Of the 147 passengers on board, 12 of the passengers contracted the virus, with three of them passing away. While social media’s online journalists can, in fact, blow things out of proportion, trusted sources showing how people are dying puts Hantavirus into perspective.
The reality of this situation is that COVID struck fear into people around the world, which prompted them to focus on the Hantavirus case. While it is common for misinformation to be spread on social media, topics that are backed by trusted sources should be the center of attention. Hantavirus is a real infection and should be taken seriously. If this new outbreak is taken lightly, the virus can spread worldwide and the world could have a repeat of the 2020 pandemic. It is better for people on social media to be worried rather than to be ignorant about health topics that have a very real effect on people.
