Hantavirus Outbreak Could Last Months, Says French Epidemiologist | Health Emergency | N18G

Added: 2026-05-16

[00:00:00]It can drag on for several months because the incubation period is long and it could be that we have the feeling at some point that it's over and then there's one case which pops up one month later and then you have again to do all these isolation of cases, quarantine of contacts. What is good, if I may say so with this virus, is that it's not very transmissible. It's not highly contagious. It's only the people who are symptomatic who are contagious. So there is a limited time period during which transmission can take place, but ultimately my guess is a few dozens of cases worldwide, high lethality rate, so unfortunately half of the people or 1/3 of the people is going to die, but I would not expect a very large epidemic. Even if I'm not too worried, I think it's useful to remind all of us that we are still at risk of major pandemics and we should get prepared.

[00:00:56]I'm quite convinced that we are going to experience a new pandemic and we never know whether it could be as bad as COVID-19.