Conspiracy theorists and wellness influencers are already peddling wild claims about a hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius, comparing it to the pandemic in misguided efforts to sell emergency kits and ivermectin.

Their claims mirror those seen during the COVID-19 crisis, with one physician even suggesting that not getting the vaccine somehow grants natural immunity against hantavirus. Meanwhile, others continue to claim a connection between the virus and false flag attacks by Israel.

These theories spread rapidly on social media; for instance, former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene posted about vitamin D and zinc as hantavirus treatments, falsely claiming a link to the pandemic vaccine.

The issue is compounded by the fact that many under-50s in America get their health information from influencers and podcasts. As Katrine Wallace from the University of Illinois points out, misinformation narratives now organize quickly around emerging outbreaks.