With the memory of coronavirus still fresh, news about hantavirus has generated some concern. However, experts emphasize that this virus does not transmit with the speed or continuity of COVID-19. The head of epidemiological surveillance for Central Catalonia has sought to calm the population, indicating that the possibility of transmission is under control.

In Catalonia, only one precedent has been confirmed in many years, recorded in 2024 in Berguedà, which evolved favorably. This case was isolated and linked to a very specific rural environment. Hantavirus is transmitted from animal to person, and only the Andes variant can be transmitted between humans. This variant may have affected passengers on a cruise from Argentina, although the hypothesis is that the infection originated on land before boarding.

Human-to-human transmission requires very close and prolonged contact, significantly reducing the risk for Europe. This disease is uncommon, as the virus does not circulate in public spaces. The risk is concentrated in enclosed areas such as warehouses or farms, especially during cleaning or soil disturbance tasks, where contaminated dust from infected rodent urine or dry droppings can be inhaled.

In case of an alert, the health response is swift, with immediate case notification and continuous risk assessment, accompanied by clear, evidence-based communication. Catalan passengers from the cruise, who show no symptoms, will undergo a quarantine of one to six weeks in a centralized and secure hospital to control the situation and minimize any possibility of transmission.