A wild claim has been made on social media that the Hantavirus can shrink a person’s penis size by up to three inches. Notably, these claims come from unverified social media accounts and there is no scientific proof backing up these claims.
However, the claims were amplified as multiple accounts shared the same information, and sparked concerns among many. “Scientists confirm that Hantavirus can shrink your penis size by up to three inches,” one wrote.
Another added “Research suggest Hantavirus can shrink penis size by 3 inches. This claims has be confirmed by World Health Organization and everyone especially men are warned to stay safe.” Yet another said “According to the recent research, Scientists confirm that hantavirus can shrink your penis size by up to three inches.”
This comes amid the Hantavirus update on the cruise line that has left three dead. Countries are keeping a close eye to see if the passengers on board came in contact with anyone else. The outbreak was on MV Hondius, and passengers from the US are now quarantining in Nebraska and two were sent to Atlanta, as per reports.
Also Read | Hantavirus outbreak and the anxieties of our times
States that are tracking the situation include Arizona, California, Georgia, Maryland, Nebraska, New Jersey, Virginia, and Texas. Latest reports indicate that officials in Minnesota and Illinois are also tracking possible cases.
While officials have said there isn’t currently cause for concern, the world remains on edge after having gone through the COVID outbreak, and the recent claims about Hantavirus impacting penis size has not helped ease worries.
Hantavirus shrinks penis? Fact-checking viral claim
There is no scientific basis or medical research which indicates Hantavirus can shrink penis size. Many of the profiles that shared the claims were labelled as parody profiles.
Some on X saw through the wild claims, and one person remarked “This is false. There is no scientific evidence or published research linking Hantavirus to penis size reduction. This is not a documented symptom or side effect of Hantavirus infection.”
Grok too fact-checked the claims and wrote “No, this is not true. It’s a viral hoax spreading on social media with fake “study” claims. Hantavirus (per CDC) causes flu-like symptoms, muscle aches, and potentially severe lung or kidney issues from rodent exposure—no genital effects or penis shrinkage. Pure misinformation.”
Notably, Hantavirus usually spreads to people via contact with rodents’ urine, feces or saliva. The strain at the center of the outbreak is believed to be the Andes strain, which as per the World Health Organization, can spread from person to person. As per the Center for Disease Control (CDC) Hantavirus can cause diseases like Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS).
Hantavirus symptoms, incubation period
As per CDC, symptoms of HPS will begin to show 1-8 weeks after the contact with the infected rodent. HPS is a severe and potentially deadly disease that affects the lungs, CDC noted. Early symptoms include fatigue, fever, and muscle aches, especially in the large muscle groups like the thighs, hips, back, and sometimes shoulders, CDC noted.
Some patients can also experience headaches, dizziness, chills, and abdominal problems, like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain, as per CDC. After 4-10 days following the initial phase of illness, the late symptoms start to show. This can include coughing and shortness of breath.
The other disease is HFRS, which is severe and sometimes deadly and affects the kidneys, as per CDC. This can develop within 1-2 weeks of exposure. Among initial symptoms are intense headaches, back and abdominal pain, fever/chills, nausea, and blurred vision. Later symptoms can include low blood pressure, lack of blood flow (acute shock), internal bleeding (vascular leakage), and acute kidney failure, which can cause severe fluid overload, CDC noted.
