Fact Check: Did China ban American citizens over hantavirus outbreak?

BEIJING, CHINA: Amid the outbreak of hantavirus, a rumor began circulating on social media platforms claiming that China has banned United States citizens from entering their country due to the outbreak of the disease, sparking panic and speculation. Let us analyze the origins of the viral claim and fact-check the authenticity of the rumor.

Claim: China banned US citizens over hantavirus outbreak

Following the outbreak of the hantavirus aboard ‌a ⁠luxury cruise ship, which has killed three people, a post surfaced on X stating, “China officially bans all US citizens from entering the country over the outbreak of hantavirus.” The post has gone viral, garnering almost one and a half million views as of this writing.

Those commenting under the post are expressing panic and speculations, indicating that many believe the claim to be authentic, as eighteen passengers of the ship are now in US quarantine facilities, either in Nebraska or Atlanta.

Fact Check: False, China did not release any official statements about the ban

The claim, however, is false as China’s foreign ministry told Reuters the post was fake news.

The US State Department also said that it was not aware of any ban on Americans traveling to China. 

According to the State Department’s China travel advisory, which was updated two months ago, there is no mention of a ban.

President Donald Trump is currently in China in talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, and there are no reports about the ban, which, if true, would have been widely covered by prominent news media outlets. 

There are also no official announcements or statements from the Chinese government or the media that support the claim.

WHO says outbreak is not the start of a pandemic  

Following the outbreak, Trump and the WHO addressed the fears, stating, ‘This Is Not The Start Of A COVID Pandemic.’

WHO officials said the wider public-health risk remains low and stressed that this is not SARS-CoV-2. American infectious disease epidemiologist Maria Van Kerkhove said the situation is “not the start of a COVID pandemic,” calling it an outbreak in a confined ship setting.  

Following the outbreak, Trump vigorously defended his decision to withdraw the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO) during a White House briefing on the outbreak.