Arizona man who survived hantavirus 24 years ago, but lost mom and sister, says recent outbreak is "hard" to process
CBS News • • general
Key Points:
- Arizona photojournalist Gilbert Zermeño, who lost his mother and sister to hantavirus 24 years ago and contracted the illness himself, finds the recent outbreak emotionally difficult to process.
- The current hantavirus outbreak linked to a Dutch-flagged cruise ship has resulted in nine confirmed or suspected cases, including three deaths, drawing global health monitoring.
- Zermeño warns against misinformation online, emphasizing that hantavirus is less frightening than COVID-19 and urging people to research the illness accurately.
- Health officials, including the WHO and U.S. CDC, state that hantavirus poses a very low risk to the public due to its rare human-to-human transmission and the necessity of close contact for spread.
- Zermeño advises trusting medical professionals and having a plan if exposed, noting that initial misdiagnoses are common due to the rarity of hantavirus but proper diagnosis and treatment are crucial.
