Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
What is hantavirus, how does it spread, and how worried should people be? In this Q&A, Dr. Dean Blumberg, Chief of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at UC Davis Health, explains the basics of hantavirus infection, including how people are exposed, the symptoms of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, and why most people in California are at very low risk. He also discusses where hantavirus is found in the United States and the role rodents play in spreading the virus.
Dr. Blumberg answers common questions about hantavirus symptoms, person-to-person transmission, treatment, and prevention.This interview also explains why hantavirus cases remain rare in the U.S. and what public health experts recommend to reduce exposure risk.
This video includes an audio description track. To hear the narration of on‑screen text, turn on "English Descriptive" in the player’s settings menu.
Could hantavirus become the next pandemic?: youtu.be/Kr7f7Y50BtQ
Learn more about the recent hantavirus outbreak: https://health.ucdavis.edu/news/headlines/expert-qa-what-is-hantavirus-and-what-you-need-to-know/2026/05
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At UC Davis Children’s Hospital, we put your child at the center of everything that we do. It’s personalized care, uniquely sized for your child. You’ll see it in our child-friendly designs throughout the hospital, our farm-to-fork approach to dining, our playrooms and teen rooms and our team that feels like family. UC Davis Children’s Hospital is Sacramento’s only nationally ranked, comprehensive hospital for children, serving infants, children, adolescents and young adults with primary, subspecialty and critical care.
UC Davis Children’s Hospital: https://children.ucdavis.edu
Children’s Surgery Center: https://health.ucdavis.edu/children/services/childrens-surgery-center/
Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy: https://health.ucdavis.edu/children/services/child-life/
Fetal Care and Treatment Center: https://health.ucdavis.edu/children/services/fetal-care-treatment-center/
See the latest news from UC Davis Health: https://health.ucdavis.edu/newsroom
Kids Considered podcast: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLM7qvIv8N9Rtl7F3ziKi_A-dm0eKSvQBt
Facebook: facebook.com/UCDavisChildrensHospital
Instagram: instagram.com/ucdavischildren
Twitter/X: twitter.com/UCDavisChildren
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0:00 What is hantavirus?
0:28 How does hantavirus spread?
1:24 Can hantavirus spread person-to-person?
2:12 What are the symptoms of hantavirus?
3:00 How is hantavirus treated?
3:36 How can you avoid hantavirus?
The information in this video was accurate as of the upload date, 5/8/26. For information purposes only. Consult your local medical authority for advice.
#Hantavirus #InfectiousDisease #Virus #HealthEducation #HantavirusSymptoms
What is hantavirus, how does it spread, and how worried should people be? In this Q&A, Dr. Dean Blumberg, Chief of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at UC Davis Health, explains the basics of hantavirus infection, including how people are exposed, the symptoms of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, and why most people in California are at very low risk. He also discusses where hantavirus is found in the United States and the role rodents play in spreading the virus.
Dr. Blumberg answers common questions about hantavirus symptoms, person-to-person transmission, treatment, and prevention.This interview also explains why hantavirus cases remain rare in the U.S. and what public health experts recommend to reduce exposure risk.
This video includes an audio description track. To hear the narration of on‑screen text, turn on "English Descriptive" in the player’s settings menu.
Could hantavirus become the next pandemic?: youtu.be/Kr7f7Y50BtQ
Learn more about the recent hantavirus outbreak: https://health.ucdavis.edu/news/headlines/expert-qa-what-is-hantavirus-and-what-you-need-to-know/2026/05
——
At UC Davis Children’s Hospital, we put your child at the center of everything that we do. It’s personalized care, uniquely sized for your child. You’ll see it in our child-friendly designs throughout the hospital, our farm-to-fork approach to dining, our playrooms and teen rooms and our team that feels like family. UC Davis Children’s Hospital is Sacramento’s only nationally ranked, comprehensive hospital for children, serving infants, children, adolescents and young adults with primary, subspecialty and critical care.
UC Davis Children’s Hospital: https://children.ucdavis.edu
Children’s Surgery Center: https://health.ucdavis.edu/children/services/childrens-surgery-center/
Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy: https://health.ucdavis.edu/children/services/child-life/
Fetal Care and Treatment Center: https://health.ucdavis.edu/children/services/fetal-care-treatment-center/
See the latest news from UC Davis Health: https://health.ucdavis.edu/newsroom
Kids Considered podcast: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLM7qvIv8N9Rtl7F3ziKi_A-dm0eKSvQBt
Facebook: facebook.com/UCDavisChildrensHospital
Instagram: instagram.com/ucdavischildren
Twitter/X: twitter.com/UCDavisChildren
——
0:00 What is hantavirus?
0:28 How does hantavirus spread?
1:24 Can hantavirus spread person-to-person?
2:12 What are the symptoms of hantavirus?
3:00 How is hantavirus treated?
3:36 How can you avoid hantavirus?
The information in this video was accurate as of the upload date, 5/8/26. For information purposes only. Consult your local medical authority for advice.
#Hantavirus #InfectiousDisease #Virus #HealthEducation #HantavirusSymptoms
