A South Carolina woman is going viral online after sharing her blunt reaction to the deadly hantavirus outbreak tied to a cruise ship that has already left multiple passengers dead.
The TikTok influencer, Kela Phillips, posted a video discussing growing fears surrounding the MV Hondius outbreak, in which several passengers reportedly contracted hantavirus while aboard the vessel. At least three deaths have been linked to the outbreak so far.
During the viral clip, the woman suggested that passengers connected to the outbreak should remain quarantined instead of immediately returning home to different countries.
“Nobody wants COVID 2.0 all over again,” she said in the video while discussing the situation.
The comments quickly spread online as people debated whether concerns surrounding the outbreak were being overblown or completely justified, given memories of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Cruise Ship Outbreak Has People Feeling Uneasy Online
Much of the online conversation centered on how similar the situation feels to the early days of COVID, especially with reports of passengers returning home before officials fully understood the extent of the outbreak.
Health officials confirmed that passengers from multiple countries, including the United States, had already left the ship before stricter monitoring measures were implemented.
The outbreak has drawn particular attention because the suspected strain involved is believed to be the Andes variant of hantavirus, which health officials say has rare cases of human-to-human transmission.
While the World Health Organization stated the overall risk to the public remains low, the situation has still sparked widespread anxiety online due to the deadly nature of the virus and the international scope of the cruise.
Social Media Users Were Split Over the Woman’s Comments
Some people agreed with the South Carolina woman’s concerns and argued that stricter precautions should already be in place.
“We learned absolutely nothing from COVID,” one person commented.
Another user wrote, “I honestly don’t blame people for being nervous.”
Others accused social media users of creating unnecessary panic over a situation health officials say remains contained.
“At some point people need to stop fear mongering,” another viewer argued.
As the discussion surrounding the outbreak continues to spread online, many people say the story has reopened fears and frustrations about how quickly international health scares can spiral into global panic.
