Episode Details

An outbreak of hantavirus on a cruise ship has triggered a global public health response to treat those infected and trace those exposed. In this episode: why this type of hantavirus is unique, what the symptoms and severity are, and why experts are assuring the public that the risk of pandemic-level transmission is low.

Kari Moore Debbink, PhD, MEd, is a virologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.

• What Is Hantavirus, Which Is Linked to the Deaths of 3 People Aboard a Cruise Ship?—New York Times

• In the News: Hantavirus@johnshopkinssph via Instagram

• Can Spillover—How Viruses Move From Animals to Humans—Be Prevented?—Public Health On Call (November 2021)

Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel.

Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.