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These Are the Most Common First Symptoms of Hantavirus, According To Infectious Disease Experts

By Jessica Sager Parade - Health Stories

Updated May 20, 2026 8:11 AM

Hantavirus is serious, but should you really be worried? That depends on how much you've been exposed to rodents recently.

While the MV Hondius cruise ship hantavirus outbreak sounds terrifying-there were 11 confirmed cases and three deaths (a 27% fatality rate), per the World Health Organization-the disease typically isn't spread quite as rapidly, even if you're partying on the high seas.

"Hantavirus is not a typical cruise ship pathogen," Dr. Tyler Evans, MD, infectious disease specialist and founder and CEO of Wellness Equity Alliance, tells Parade. "Unlike Norovirus or respiratory viruses that move easily between passengers, hantaviruses are primarily spread through contact with the urine, droppings or saliva of infected rodents, with one important exception: The Andes virus, which circulates in Chile and Argentina, is the only hantavirus documented to transmit from person to person, and it is rare."

The cruise ship with the recent hantavirus outbreak, Dr. Evans says, is "squarely within that virus's range."

"That geography matters," he explains. "It is the most plausible explanation for what we are seeing, and it is also the reason this outbreak should not cause panic among people who have no connection to that part of the world. There is a pattern that has repeated across every major outbreak I have worked on, from HIV in sub-Saharan Africa to COVID-19 in New York City. The acute event commands attention. The structural lesson does not. Cruise ships, whether they carry 6,000 passengers or 150 passengers, are mobile communities that move pathogens across borders faster than any public health system can track them."

That said, hantaviruses can be deadly, with Oscar winner Gene Hackman and his wife being the highest-profile people to fall victim to them. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 38% of people who develop respiratory symptoms from hantavirus will die from the disease.

What are the most common hantavirus symptoms and what signs of hantavirus will show up first? Find out what they are and how to protect yourself.

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Is It Hard To Get Hantavirus?

Thankfully, the answer is generally yes. Hantavirus is generally pretty rare, to the point that the American Lung Association noted that there were fewer than 900 cases between 1993 and 2022.

That said, hantavirus is an airborne illness that you can get from inhaling feces, urine or saliva from infected rodents, as well as from infected rodent bites or scratches, as well as from touching contaminated surfaces and then touching your mouth or from eating food contaminated with rodent droppings or bodily fluids. However, things may get complicated and more dangerous with certain strains, as Dr. Evans pointed out previously.

What Are the First Signs of Hantavirus?

According to Dr. Mu Tomlinson, MD, CEO of Vituity and author of Less Than One Percent, the first signs of hantavirus can vary, but will typically include some or all of the following, and may appear anywhere between one week to two months after exposure to the virus:

Fever
Fatigue/exhaustion
Muscle aches, especially in the thighs, hips, back and shoulders
Headache
Chills
Dizziness
Diarrhea

These can all also be symptoms of myriad other conditions, from COVID-19, the common cold and flu to simply going too hard at the gym, which makes narrowing down a hantavirus diagnosis tricky-and also makes the illness potentially more dangerous, because you may not realize you have hantavirus until and unless it gets really severe.

What Are Other Hantavirus Symptoms?

Other hantavirus symptoms may develop anywhere between four and 10 days after the initial signs mentioned above. The later symptoms can be severe and very dangerous, even deadly, if untreated. Per Dr. Tomlinson, these may include:

Dry cough
Chest tightness
Shortness of breath
Rapid breathing
Fluid buildup in the lungs

That last one is the worst of the bunch and can be deadly, and the chest tightness is often a result of fluid filling the lungs, so if you feel it, get help from a physician immediately.

Symptoms that you won't see from hantavirus include sore throat, rash or runny nose, so if you have any of those, let your doctor know just to be safe (because you may still have hantavirus while also, for example, fighting for your life against tree pollen in the spring and summer already).

Does Hantavirus Live in Old Droppings?

It can, but it's less likely. According to the CDC, droppings that are six weeks old or more are less likely to be infected with hantavirus, but you should still avoid them, and if you can't, you must use caution when cleaning them up.

Who Is Most at Risk for Hantavirus?

Per the CDC, pregnant people, people with compromised or weakened immune systems and children younger than five years old are at the highest risk of contracting hantavirus and suffering severe symptoms. Exterminators, people with rodents as pets and animal caretakers are also at risk of infection for pretty obvious reasons: They're simply exposed to droppings, saliva and urine more often and more likely to be bitten or scratched due to their proximity to rodents that can carry the virus.

Is It Possible To Have Hantavirus and Not Know It?

It sure is. Testing for hantavirus can be difficult, and because so many hantavirus symptoms overlap with our respiratory illnesses, many people who are infected don't realize it.

How Long After Exposure to Mouse Droppings Can You Get Sick?

You may get sick from hantavirus anywhere between one week to eight weeks after exposure to rodent droppings.

What Kills Hantavirus?

In terms of surfaces, you can kill hantavirus with disinfectants or with a solution of one part bleach to nine parts water. Wear gloves and a protective mask, spray the area and let it sit for about five minutes before using a paper towel to pick up any droppings and dispose in the trash, then take that trash out.

When you get back inside, wash your hands with gloves on for two minutes, then remove and dispose of the gloves and wash your bare hands for another two minutes.

Here are more tips to kill hantavirus on various surfaces and how to prevent it from invading your space to begin with.

If you're talking about wanting to nix a hantavirus infection, there is no magic bullet or pill for that-since it's a virus and not a bacterial infection, antibiotics won't help. Your best bet is to manage symptoms with a doctor's help and supervision until you recover.

"Treatment mainly focuses on oxygen support, IV fluids, blood pressure support and intensive care monitoring," Dr. Tomlinson tells Parade. "Severe cases may require ventilators, ICU admission or ECMO (heart-lung bypass support)."

Is Hantavirus Killed by Lysol?

Lysol disinfectant can, in fact, kill hantavirus-but be sure it's an actual disinfectant, because not all Lysol-branded products are.

Does Washing Clothes Get Rid of Hantavirus?

The CDC recommends washing clothes with a hot water cycle if you suspect you've been exposed to hantavirus. If your washing machine has a sanitize cycle, that's even better.

Is It Safe To Vacuum Old Mouse Droppings?

Please, no! Vacuuming or sweeping rodent droppings can send hantavirus particles into the air, making you more likely to inhale them.

Up Next:

Sources:

Dr. Tyler Evans, MD
Dr. Mu Tomlinson, MD
"About Hantavirus." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"Hantavirus cluster linked to cruise ship travel, multi-country." World Health Organization.
"Hantavirus Prevention." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"Hantavirus Questions, Answered." American Lung Association.
"You Can Prevent Hantavirus." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

This story was originally published May 20, 2026 at 7:50 AM.