Disease comparison
Hantavirus (Andes) vs COVID-19
How does Andes hantavirus actually compare to the other emerging viruses people most often ask about? All figures sourced directly from WHO and CDC fact sheets.
Last reviewed: 2026-05-09
Hantavirus (Andes) vs COVID-19
| Metric | ANDV | COVID |
|---|---|---|
| Case fatality rate | 30–40% | ~0.5–1% IFR (ancestral, pre-vaccine) |
| R0 (basic reproduction number) | <1 (rare P2P clusters) | 2–3 (ancestral); higher for later variants |
| Incubation period | 2–4 weeks (up to 6) | 2–14 days (median 5) |
| Transmission mode | Inhaled rodent excreta; rare person-to-person (ANDV only) | Respiratory aerosols and droplets; pre-symptomatic spread |
| Person-to-person spread | Limited | Yes |
| Treatment available | Supportive care, oxygen, ECMO; ribavirin investigational | Antivirals (nirmatrelvir/ritonavir, remdesivir); supportive care |
| Vaccine available | None licensed | Multiple licensed mRNA, viral-vector and protein subunit vaccines |
| Geographic distribution | Argentina, Chile, with imported clusters worldwide (2026) | Global pandemic since 2020; now endemic seasonal circulation |
| First identified | 1995 | 2019 |
| Virus family | Hantaviridae (Bunyavirales) | Coronaviridae |
| Reservoir host | Long-tailed pygmy rice rat (Oligoryzomys longicaudatus) | Bats (likely ancestral); intermediate host debated |
Hantavirus (Andes virus, ANDV)
ANDVAndes virus is the only hantavirus with documented person-to-person transmission. The 2026 MV Hondius cluster is being closely watched because its cruise-ship setting matches the close-contact conditions where ANDV chains have appeared historically.
Hantavirus (Andes virus, ANDV)
ANDVAndes virus is the only hantavirus with documented person-to-person transmission. The 2026 MV Hondius cluster is being closely watched because its cruise-ship setting matches the close-contact conditions where ANDV chains have appeared historically.
- First identified
- 1995
- Virus family
- Hantaviridae (Bunyavirales)
- Reservoir host
- Long-tailed pygmy rice rat (Oligoryzomys longicaudatus)
COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2)
COVIDSARS-CoV-2 spreads efficiently before symptoms begin, which is exactly the property that drove the 2020 pandemic. Hantaviruses lack this trait, which is the single biggest reason ANDV is not expected to behave like COVID.
COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2)
COVIDSARS-CoV-2 spreads efficiently before symptoms begin, which is exactly the property that drove the 2020 pandemic. Hantaviruses lack this trait, which is the single biggest reason ANDV is not expected to behave like COVID.
- First identified
- 2019
- Virus family
- Coronaviridae
- Reservoir host
- Bats (likely ancestral); intermediate host debated
Sources: WHO and US CDC topic pages.
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