Hantavirus almost killed her 30 years ago. Here’s what it was like.
USA Today • • health
Key Points:
- Shaina Montiel contracted hantavirus at age 5, initially misdiagnosed as the flu, but later required urgent hospitalization due to severe symptoms including hemorrhaging; she was one of the youngest survivors of the virus at that time.
- Hantavirus, which has a fatality rate up to 38%, has no specific treatment and requires supportive care; Montiel’s experience left her with lasting health anxiety and a phobia of vomiting.
- The virus is primarily spread through contact with rodent urine, droppings, or saliva, and Montiel likely contracted it playing outside near wildlife, highlighting the unpredictable nature of exposure.
- Despite recent media attention and fears of a hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship, the World Health Organization assesses the public health risk as low and does not consider it the start of a pandemic.
- Montiel shares her story to raise awareness about the seriousness of hantavirus while encouraging perspective on its rarity and the low likelihood of widespread transmission.