ATLANTA — A local doctor is reminding Georgians hantavirus is not easily spread person to person, but it can be extremely dangerous.
Channel 2’s Karyn Greer talked to Dr. Saju Mathew from Piedmont Healthcare about symptoms and what’s next for treatment.
“The hantavirus can be a very dangerous infection. In fact, 30 to 40% of people that acquire this virus can actually die. So the fatality rate is very high,” Mathew said.
He says that’s why patients are being moved quickly to facilities like Emory University. The advanced critical care teams have experience with handling rare viral illnesses.
“It’s almost like a futuristic laboratory. They have these negative pressure rooms where air can only come into the room and not outside of the room. They have special entrances and exits, specialized nursing care and doctors,” Mathews said.
He stresses this is not a COVID style situation. People who have been exposed may show flu-like symptoms — cough, body aches, cold — that rapidly progresses
“A big difference between Hantavirus and COVID-19 is you can only transmit the infection when you have symptoms. With COVID- 19, you could transmit the infection even if you are asymptomatic,” Mathew said.
Mathew says it is important not to panic. If you weren’t in close contact with the cruise ship passengers, there is little to no chance of being infected.
And the passengers are being monitored very closely so they can quickly get the help they need.
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