Right now, we could be living through a hantavirus disaster. The world avoided that, and this is why | Devi Sridhar

Passengers and crew from the MV Hondius cruise ship have completed their isolation period after a hantavirus outbreak, marking a significant public health success. Seven cases of the Andes strain of hantavirus, which can spread human-to-human and has a death rate approaching 30%, were identified among 147 individuals on board starting May 4. This outcome is being celebrated as a positive example of public health management, contrasting with the criticisms faced during the Covid-19 pandemic, and highlights a potential disaster that was successfully averted through effective intervention and isolation.