Kansas monitoring three people exposed to person with hantavirus

Added: 2026-05-16

[00:00:05]>> 3 people in Kansas have >> 3 people in Kansas have >> 3 people in Kansas have been exposed to the been exposed to the been exposed to the potentially deadly hanta potentially deadly hanta potentially deadly hanta virus. State health officials virus. State health officials virus. State health officials say the 3 came in contact with say the 3 came in contact with say the 3 came in contact with a cruise ship passenger who a cruise ship passenger who a cruise ship passenger who later tested positive. The later tested positive. The later tested positive. The Kansans are not currently Kansans are not currently Kansans are not currently experiencing symptoms. FOX for experiencing symptoms. FOX for experiencing symptoms. FOX for Scott Kilbury joins us now to Scott Kilbury joins us now to Scott Kilbury joins us now to break down the alert.

[00:00:20]break down the alert.

[00:00:20]break down the alert. Apartment health Scott. Yeah.

[00:00:23]Apartment health Scott. Yeah.

[00:00:23]Apartment health Scott. Yeah. What's different about this What's different about this What's different about this strain of the hantavirus is strain of the hantavirus is strain of the hantavirus is that it has infected humans.

[00:00:26]that it has infected humans.

[00:00:27]that it has infected humans. >> Through contact with other >> Through contact with other >> Through contact with other humans. We spoke with an humans. We spoke with an humans. We spoke with an infectious disease physician infectious disease physician infectious disease physician about the risk and why it about the risk and why it about the risk and why it won't be another pandemic.

[00:00:35]won't be another pandemic.

[00:00:35]won't be another pandemic. >> Certainly in a and the >> Certainly in a and the >> Certainly in a and the strain of hantavirus really strain of hantavirus really strain of hantavirus really the only stream that's ever the only stream that's ever the only stream that's ever been recorded to spread from been recorded to spread from been recorded to spread from person to person. And so person to person. And so person to person. And so having that on a cruise ship.

[00:00:43]having that on a cruise ship.

[00:00:44]having that on a cruise ship. And certainly we see other And certainly we see other And certainly we see other cruise ship outbreaks. That's cruise ship outbreaks. That's cruise ship outbreaks. That's really what caught my really what caught my really what caught my attention is that it's another attention is that it's another attention is that it's another cruise ship illness as cruise ship illness as cruise ship illness as spreading. The 3 people in spreading. The 3 people in spreading. The 3 people in Kansas were not aboard the Kansas were not aboard the Kansas were not aboard the cruise ship but were exposed cruise ship but were exposed cruise ship but were exposed to an individual from the to an individual from the to an individual from the cruise ship who later tested cruise ship who later tested cruise ship who later tested positive for the virus.

[00:01:00]positive for the virus.

[00:01:00]positive for the virus. >> The 3 are not experiencing >> The 3 are not experiencing >> The 3 are not experiencing symptoms, which would resemble symptoms, which would resemble symptoms, which would resemble the flu. But since the the flu. But since the the flu. But since the incubation period could be so incubation period could be so incubation period could be so long with this strain, they long with this strain, they long with this strain, they are in isolation and for the are in isolation and for the are in isolation and for the and the strain that's between and the strain that's between and the strain that's between 4 days up to 42 days. So it's 4 days up to 42 days. So it's 4 days up to 42 days. So it's it's a longer window.

[00:01:14]it's a longer window.

[00:01:14]it's a longer window. >> Where symptoms could >> Where symptoms could >> Where symptoms could develop. But we do know that develop. But we do know that develop. But we do know that in prior cases it was contact in prior cases it was contact in prior cases it was contact to an ill person. And so give to an ill person. And so give to an ill person. And so give you some symptoms to watch for you some symptoms to watch for you some symptoms to watch for and for public health to help and for public health to help and for public health to help with monitoring fewer than 50 with monitoring fewer than 50 with monitoring fewer than 50 people a year are infected people a year are infected people a year are infected with the junta virus in the with the junta virus in the with the junta virus in the United States.

[00:01:32]United States.

[00:01:32]United States. >> Which is spread through >> Which is spread through >> Which is spread through rodent droppings and urine.

[00:01:35]rodent droppings and urine.

[00:01:35]rodent droppings and urine. The Andes Hantavirus can be The Andes Hantavirus can be The Andes Hantavirus can be passed humans, but only passed humans, but only passed humans, but only through intimate contact or through intimate contact or through intimate contact or prolonged periods of exposure prolonged periods of exposure prolonged periods of exposure like you see on a cruise ship, like you see on a cruise ship, like you see on a cruise ship, chances of another pandemic chances of another pandemic chances of another pandemic like COVID-19, our highly like COVID-19, our highly like COVID-19, our highly unlikely for hanta virus. We unlikely for hanta virus. We unlikely for hanta virus. We do know how things are spread.

[00:01:50]do know how things are spread.

[00:01:51]do know how things are spread. >> We how to kind of have >> We how to kind of have >> We how to kind of have supportive care. We know supportive care. We know supportive care. We know locations and which type of locations and which type of locations and which type of strains occur and which areas strains occur and which areas strains occur and which areas until all of that sort gives until all of that sort gives until all of that sort gives us a head start on knowledge us a head start on knowledge us a head start on knowledge about the illness compared to about the illness compared to about the illness compared to where we started COVID-19.

[00:02:08]where we started COVID-19.

[00:02:08]where we started COVID-19. >> We do not know where the 3 >> We do not know where the 3 >> We do not know where the 3 people who are expose our in people who are expose our in people who are expose our in Kansas, but the health Kansas, but the health Kansas, but the health department is not sharing any department is not sharing any department is not sharing any more dish. No information in more dish. No information in