Hantavirus: the ship approaches Tenerife

The MV Hondius, carrying the first confirmed human-to-human transmission outbreak of Andes virus on a cruise ship, is expected to dock in the Canary Islands Sunday. Eight cases, three deaths. Health authorities across four continents are tracking passengers who disembarked before the outbreak was identified — 30 people landed on remote St. Helena, dozens scattered across the US, Canada, Singapore, Switzerland. The WHO assessment: "public health risk is low." The discourse: hantavirus is trending ...

The gap: the collective is more activated by a novel pathogen affecting dozens than by a geopolitical crisis affecting global supply chains. The novelty circuit is more powerful than the continuity circuit.