Health and Me

Rachel V Thomas

Donald Trump Says Hantavirus Is 'Under Control'; Questions Grow Over CDC Research Cuts

US President <span>Donald Trump</span> is hopeful that the deadly <span>hantavirus</span> outbreak is very much under control. However, questions are mounting as his administration cut funding to study the rat-borne virus last year.

According to the World Health Organization, eight people onboard the cruise ship <span>MV Hondius</span> have been infected with hantavirus. Of these, three have died, and five have been confirmed to have the virus. However, more people are likely to be infected, as the disease can take a long time to show symptoms.

Speaking to reporters Thursday, Donald Trump sought to reassure Americans that the situation appeared contained.

“It’s very much, we hope, under control,” Trump said during an impromptu appearance near the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, DC. The President added that the administration planned to release “a full report” on the incident and said health officials were continuing to study the outbreak closely.

“We’re doing the best we can,” Trump told reporters when asked whether Americans should worry about the wider spread of the virus.

Notably, at least 23 passengers from the hantavirus-affected MV Hondius cruise ship returned home, including several to the United States — and one of them has already fallen ill.

<h2>Hantavirus Cases In The US? </h2>Also read: <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-news/hantavirus-sparks-global-alert-as-countries-race-to-trace-contacts-who-says-risk-low-article-154266542" data-type="tilCustomLink">Hantavirus Sparks Global Alert As Countries Race To Trace Contacts; WHO Says Risk Low</a> 

The travelers reportedly did not know they had been exposed to the deadly virus when they disembarked during the ship’s stop at Saint Helena, a remote island in the South Atlantic, on April 23.

People in at least five US states — Georgia, Arizona, California, Texas, and Virginia — are reportedly being monitored for possible hantavirus exposure, though none have shown symptoms.

According to Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, Director of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), “Hantavirus is not spread by people without symptoms, transmission requires close contact, and the risk to the American public is very low.”

<h2>CDC Cuts On <span rel="noindex">Hantavirus Research</span></h2>

Behind the public reassurance, however, health authorities are confronting a situation that remains poorly understood — particularly because the Trump administration last year cut funding to study the virus behind the deadly cruise ship outbreak, and also fired scientists in key positions who were tracking viruses.

The Centers for Research in Emerging Infectious Diseases were designed to study viruses that could jump from animals to people, including hantavirus, but in 2025, the National Institutes of Health said the work would not continue.

Further, in its 2026 budget request, on one hand, the Trump administration said it planned to refocus the CDC on outbreak investigations and preparedness; on the other hand, it proposed eliminating about $750 million in preparedness grants that states rely on to cope with natural and man-made disasters, including outbreaks.

What Is Hantavirus, The Deadly Virus on Atlanta Cruise Ship? #shorts #shortsfeed

It also zeroed funding for the Hospital Preparedness Program, which strengthens healthcare systems to respond to emergencies, saying the program “has been wasteful and unfocused”, the New York Times reported.

Notably, the effects of the Trump administration’s cuts to infectious disease research are also being felt globally. South Africa has the capacity to sequence the hantavirus partly because of investments made by previous US administrations through the President’s Emergency Fund for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), Dr. Carlos del Rio, an infectious disease expert at Emory University, told reporters.

However, the Trump administration has significantly reduced support for South Africa’s research system and is pulling back funding for PEPFAR.

“I worry that as we disinvest in global health, we’re losing our capacity — our global capacity — to deal with diseases,” Dr. Del Rio said.

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US President Donald Trump is hopeful that the deadly hantavirus outbreak is very much under control. However, questions are mounting as his administration cut funding to study the rat-borne virus last year.According to the World Health Organization, eight people onboard the cruise ship MV Hondius have been infected with hantavirus. Of these, three have died, and five have been confirmed to have the virus. However, more people are likely to be infected, as the disease can take a long time to show symptoms.Speaking to reporters Thursday, Donald Trump sought to reassure Americans that the situation appeared contained.“It’s very much, we hope, under control,” Trump said during an impromptu appearance near the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, DC. The President added that the administration planned to release “a full report” on the incident and said health officials were continuing to study the outbreak closely.“We’re doing the best we can,” Trump told reporters when asked whether Americans should worry about the wider spread of the virus.Notably, at least 23 passengers from the hantavirus-affected MV Hondius cruise ship returned home, including several to the United States — and one of them has already fallen ill.Hantavirus Cases In The US? Also read: Hantavirus Sparks Global Alert As Countries Race To Trace Contacts; WHO Says Risk Low The travelers reportedly did not know they had been exposed to the deadly virus when they disembarked during the ship’s stop at Saint Helena, a remote island in the South Atlantic, on April 23.People in at least five US states — Georgia, Arizona, California, Texas, and Virginia — are reportedly being monitored for possible hantavirus exposure, though none have shown symptoms.According to Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, Director of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), “Hantavirus is not spread by people without symptoms, transmission requires close contact, and the risk to the American public is very low.”CDC Cuts On Hantavirus ResearchBehind the public reassurance, however, health authorities are confronting a situation that remains poorly understood — particularly because the Trump administration last year cut funding to study the virus behind the deadly cruise ship outbreak, and also fired scientists in key positions who were tracking viruses.The Centers for Research in Emerging Infectious Diseases were designed to study viruses that could jump from animals to people, including hantavirus, but in 2025, the National Institutes of Health said the work would not continue.Further, in its 2026 budget request, on one hand, the Trump administration said it planned to refocus the CDC on outbreak investigations and preparedness; on the other hand, it proposed eliminating about $750 million in preparedness grants that states rely on to cope with natural and man-made disasters, including outbreaks.       It also zeroed funding for the Hospital Preparedness Program, which strengthens healthcare systems to respond to emergencies, saying the program “has been wasteful and unfocused”, the New York Times reported.Notably, the effects of the Trump administration’s cuts to infectious disease research are also being felt globally. South Africa has the capacity to sequence the hantavirus partly because of investments made by previous US administrations through the President’s Emergency Fund for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), Dr. Carlos del Rio, an infectious disease expert at Emory University, told reporters.However, the Trump administration has significantly reduced support for South Africa’s research system and is pulling back funding for PEPFAR.“I worry that as we disinvest in global health, we’re losing our capacity — our global capacity — to deal with diseases,” Dr. Del Rio said.