Not every outbreak is the next Covid-19

Floating quarantine: The Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius – on which the Andes virus was first detected – docked in the port of Rotterdam on May 18. The remaining crew will be sequestered for several weeks. — AFP

NEWS of the recent Andes virus (from the Hantavirus family) outbreak aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius has understandably triggered concern among many people. Reports of multiple deaths, combined with social media discussions, have revived memories of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The reaction is understandable. Beginning in 2020, Covid-19 changed the way societies respond to news about infectious diseases. For many people, any report involving an unfamiliar virus and overseas outbreaks raises the same unsettling question: Could this become another global pandemic?