How does hantavirus compare to COVID-19?

The two viruses differ on nearly every dimension that matters epidemiologically. Transmission: COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) spreads efficiently via airborne respiratory droplets and aerosols between humans; hantavirus is primarily zoonotic (rodent-to-human), with Andes virus the only species showing rare limited human-to-human spread in close prolonged contact. R0 (basic reproduction number): COVID-19 original 2-3, current variants up to 8-15; Andes virus R0 in human-to-human transmission <1, meaning sustained outbreaks are unlikely. Mortality: COVID-19 case fatality rate 0.5-2% population-wide; Andes hantavirus 30-40%. Pandemic potential: COVID-19 caused millions of deaths globally; hantavirus has never caused a pandemic and WHO assesses current risk as low. The MV Hondius cluster, involving 8 cases as of 7 May 2026, illustrates a contained zoonotic event, not the start of a pandemic.