Why hantavirus is not like COVID, according to infectious disease experts

The deadly cruise ship outbreak of hantavirus, a rare, rodent-borne illness, may have evoked some memories of the early days of COVID-19 — but infectious disease specialists and public health officials say there are clear differences in this case that make the risk to the public extremely low. "This is not another COVID," World Health Organization Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told CBS News on Sunday. Asked about his message to concerned Americans, he said, "Based on scientific assessment and based on evidence ... the risk is low. So they shouldn't— they shouldn't worry." There have been at least 10 confirmed or suspected cases tied to the Dutch-flagged MV Hondius to date, including three fatalities. A group of 18 American passengers who returned to the U.S. early Monday are being monitoring at specialized medical facilities. According to infectious disease experts, there are a few key characteristics that set this virus apart from the one that triggered a global pandemic in 2020. Here's what to know. "Wildfire" vs. "a wet log" CBS News medical correspondent Dr. Céline Gounder, an infectious disease specialist, likened the properties of COVID-19, when it first surfaced, to conditions that create a favorable environment for wildfires to spread — whereas hantavirus is more like "a wet log in a stone fireplace." "If you're a fire chief and you see dry forest, no rain in days, 40 mph winds, and a small fire — that's going to turn into a wildfire," Gounder said. …