Hantavirus vs Ebola: 7 Differences (2026 Tracker)

Hantavirus vs Ebola — 30-40% vs 25-90% mortality, rodent vs fruit-bat reservoir, no vaccine vs Ervebo. 7 key differences and live 2026 case counts. (1) Reservoir: hantavirus is carried by rodents (deer mice, voles); Ebola by fruit bats and non-human primates. (2) Human-to-human transmission: hantavirus rarely (only Andes strain, close prolonged contact); Ebola yes, efficiently via body fluids, drives multi-thousand-case outbreaks. (3) Mortality: hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) 30-40% (Andes virus); Ebola 25-90% depending on strain — Zaire ebolavirus 50-90% historically. (4) Vaccine: hantavirus has none WHO-approved internationally; Ebola has Ervebo (rVSV-ZEBOV) approved by FDA and EMA since 2019 for Zaire ebolavirus, plus advanced-trial Sudan candidates. (5) Treatment: both rely on supportive intensive care; Ebola additionally has two FDA-approved monoclonal antibody therapies — Inmazeb (REGN-EB3) and Ebanga (mAb114), which dramatically reduce mortality when given early. (6) Major outbreaks: hantavirus Argentina 1996, USA 1993 (Four Corners), and the 2026 MV Hondius cluster currently tracked. Ebola West Africa 2014-2016 (28,600 cases / 11,300 deaths), DRC 2018-2020 (3,470 cases / 2,287 deaths), plus recurring outbreaks in Uganda. (7) Pandemic potential: both have remained regional historically; neither has reached global pandemic status. Track both live: MV Hondius cluster at outbreakwatch.net and Ebola Situation Watch 2026 at outbreakwatch.net/ebola.