Five Australians and one New Zealander are being repatriated from a cruise ship after exposure to Andes virus, a rare rodent-borne illness that has killed three people. The passengers will quarantine at a facility near RAAF Base Pearce in Western Australia for three weeks, with additional monitoring to follow. Despite immediate comparisons to COVID’s Ruby Princess disaster in 2020, health experts confirm Andes virus poses no pandemic threat.What Makes Andes Different From COVIDAndes virus spreads through contact with infected rodent droppings, urine, or saliva. Unlike SARS-CoV-2, which spread rapidly through the air before people showed symptoms, Andes virus requires prolonged close contact in poorly ventilated spaces with symptomatic individuals. Each COVID patient infected roughly two or more others on average. Andes virus can spread person-to-person, making it unique among hantaviruses, but only under specific conditions like households or crowded indoor settings such as the MV Hondius cruise ship. Timeline And Testing ProtocolEuropean health authorities reported nine cases linked to the cruise as of May 11, including seven confirmed and two probable infections. Exposed passengers must monitor for symptoms up to 42 days after last contact, though this reflects the maximum incubation period, not how long people remain infectious. Australian authorities set an initial three-week quarantine with further monitoring arrangements pending. Melbourne’s Doherty Institute will conduct PCR testing to detect viral genetic material and antibody testing through serology. Early negative tests don’t guarantee safety if the virus is still incubating.Symptoms Range From Mild To Life-ThreateningInitial symptoms mirror common illnesses: fever, headache, muscle aches, nausea, and fatigue. Some patients develop hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a serious condition causing severe breathing difficulty. The long incubation period distinguishes Andes from COVID, which typically showed symptoms within days. The World Health Organization emphasizes Andes virus lacks characteristics needed to become another pandemic. Unlike COVID’s efficient airborne transmission among asymptomatic carriers, Andes requires a perfect storm of crowded spaces, poor ventilation, and symptomatic patients together over extended periods. Why Authorities Remain Cautious But Not AlarmedHealth officials respond carefully to any virus outbreak, particularly after COVID’s devastating spread from the Ruby Princess, where 575 passengers and crew carried the disease into Sydney communities in March 2020. However, Andes virus has only produced contained outbreaks throughout its history. The difference in transmission potential explains why SARS-CoV-2 caused a global pandemic while Andes remains limited to specific exposure events. Authorities balance appropriate precautions with public education to prevent unnecessary panic while protecting communities from potential spread.SourcesTheconversation: Hantavirus is very different to COVID. Here’s why the ‘Andes virus’ won’t cause the next pandemic