Fact Check: Did a 2022 tweet predict the 2026 Hantavirus outbreak?
WASHINGTON, DC: Amid the tensions following the outbreak of Hantavirus aboard a ship, a rumor began circulating on social media platforms claiming that a social media user had predicted the outbreak in a post in 2022, sparking concerns and conspiracy theories.
Let us analyse the origins of the rumors and fact-check the authenticity of the viral post.
Claim: Tweet from 2022 predicted Hantavirus outbreak
The rumor surfaced weeks after the Hantavirus outbreak occurred aboard a cruise ship in April this year, which appears to show a tweet published in 2022 that accurately predicted such an outbreak would occur.
Users began sharing the screenshot of the alleged tweet from 2022, which states, “2023: Corona ended … 2026: Hantavirus."
The rumor has triggered speculations and conspiracy theories, with many believing the tweet to be true, while others claimed it was fabricated to create panic and confusion among people.
The screenshot has also been shared on Instagram, Facebook, and Threads, garnering millions of views.
Fact Check: Tweet is indeed authentic, but calling it a prediction is exaggerated
The claim is true, as the tweet posted on June 11, 2022, by @iamasoothsayer on what was then known as Twitter, is authentic, hence the claim is rated as true. As of this writing, the tweet has been reposted hundreds of thousands of times.
The archived record of the tweet was tracked on the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine, confirming it's genuine and was posted publicly nearly four years before the hantavirus outbreak.
However, to say that the post predicted a 2026 hantavirus outbreak is an exaggeration.
The account describes itself in the bio as an ‘astrologist’ who ‘reads the future,’ but it's unknown whether this description was present before the hantavirus post became popular.
United States plans evacuation flight after outbreak on cruise ship
The US is getting ready to organize an evacuation flight for Americans stuck on the MV Hondius cruise ship, where the outbreak happened, killing several people.
According to US officials, 17 Americans are still aboard the ship and will be flown back to the United States on a special medical repatriation flight once the ship reaches Tenerife in the Canary Islands.
President Donald Trump told reporters that officials are closely monitoring the virus situation and said it is “not easily transferable.”
“No, we seem to have things under very good control. They know that virus very well. It’s been around a long time,” he said.
He noted that it differs from Covid-19 in terms of transmissibility and added that experts are studying the situation closely.
