Upon news of a hantavirus-hit cruise ship, there are concerns online about a potential pandemic. Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, known for her controversial medical opinions online, recommended ivermectine and other vitamins as “treatment” for Hantavirus.
The former congresswoman was quoting a tweet from Dr. Mary Talley Bowden. On X, Bowden wrote, “Hantavirus is a RNA virus, and ivermectin should work against it. Ivermectin blocks RNA viruses from entering the nucleus, inhibits viral replication, disrupts integrity of the viral membrane and can prevent viral replication.”
Bowden is an ears, nose, and throat (ENT) doctor whose privileges were previously suspended by a Texas hospital. She was notorious for peddling COVID-19 vaccine and treatment misinformation in 2021. Just like before, Bowden was promoting ivermectin as a cure against COVID-19. Now, she claims that the anti-parasitic medication can also cure hantavirus.
Nevertheless, Greene agreed with Bowden’s claim. She quoted the doctor on X, “I actually texted her today and asked what can we treat hantavirus with. I’m so glad she posted it. Ivermectin. Also vitamin D and zinc.”
None of these supplements were proven to cure hantavirus. In fact, at the moment, there is no known cure for hantavirus.
Greene promotes unproven cure for Hantavirus
Greene continued, “Those of us who refused to lockdown, mask up, and get vaxxed took the good ole horse paste and also developed natural immunity.” And despite these alternative cures, those who refused to get COVID-19 vaccines had higher mortality rates than those who were fully vaccinated. Those who refused the vaccine were also more susceptible to contracting different strains of COVID-19 in general.
Refusing to wear a mask can cause harm against those who are immunocompromised. Moreover, those who refused to wear masks were also more susceptible to being infected. And yet for some reason, a non-political medical decision has been politicized by Greene and other medical skeptics and anti-vaccine crusaders.
What Greene is advocating for with the hantavirus is even worse. Compared to COVID-19, hantavirus has a 20%-40% mortality rate. When alternative remedies are being irresponsibly promoted online, those infected might refrain from treatment. This would often prove to be a deadly decision, as the virus attacks the lungs and causes pulmonary edema.
Fluid accumulates in the lungs, leading to respiratory failure. Those who are experiencing symptoms should report as soon as possible instead of trying unproven cures. It’s highly unlikely for the virus to spread the way COVID-19 did, as the virus often kills its host before it can be transmitted to another person. However, reporting to the hospital significantly increases an infected person’s chance at survival.
Other doctors disagree with Bowden and Greene
Dr. Neil Stone, an infectious diseases doctor from the UK, said on X, “Before anyone suggests it… Ivermectin doesn’t treat Hantavirus.”
Dr. Eric Feigl-Ding, an epidemiologist, also issued the same warning. He wrote on social media, “NO, IVERMECTIN DOES *NOT* TREAT HANTAVIRUS.”
Medical opinions may vary, but the current consensus in the medical community is that ivermectin does not cure hantavirus. There is fear regarding the virus because MV Hondius, a luxury cruise ship, carried a Dutch couple who contracted the hantavirus. Deputy editor for the HuffPost, Philip Lewis, said that the couple may have contracted the virus after birdwatching in Argentina.
The Associated Press corroborated the theory, stating that the couple also visited a landfill during the tour and thus may have been exposed to rodents. The Andes strain of hantavirus is a rodent-borne illness from South America.
The Dutch couple initially infected have already passed away. The man died on April 6 during the cruise, while his wife would later die in Johannesburg on April 26. A third passenger died of pneumonia on the cruise ship, but it’s suspected that it’s also hantavirus-related.
A fourth passenger, a British citizen, also contracted the disease. He is now stable in a Netherlands hospital. Although there are fears of a potential outbreak, the cruise ship incident is no cause for panic at the moment. Nevertheless, it pays off to be vigilant about the situation.
(featured image: TonyNojmanSK)
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