This Week in Explainers: Why hantavirus outbreak won’t cause the next pandemic

The world has not forgotten the horrors of Covid-19. Similar fears of another pandemic are on the rise after the hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship killed three passengers. Multiple others onboard the Dutch liner are also suspected to have been infected from the disease.

Reform UK’s victory in local and regional elections at the cost of the ruling Labour Party has come as a major blow to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The Labour leader, who has already faced calls to step down, could face renewed pressure.

The United States is yet to reach a peace deal with Iran, even a month after the ceasefire. Fresh missile and drone exchanges between the rivals in the Strait of Hormuz have raised fresh concerns that hostilities could resume.

Here’s all this and much more in our weekly roundup of global stories.

More from Explainers

1. The outbreak of a new disease which can spread among humans has stoked global health concerns. Three passengers on board a Dutch cruise ship died and five other people got sick after exhibiting symptoms of the hantavirus. The spread of the rare, rodent-borne disease on the MV Hondius cruise liner has led to its comparison with coronavirus.

Amid fears of another pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) has emphasised that the risk to the general public is very low. Hantavirus is not a new disease, with the first case reported in 1993. It is less likely to develop into a pandemic as Covid-19 did. We explain here.

2. In a major setback for the Labour Party, Reform UK has swept up council seats across the country. The triumph of Nigel Farage’s anti-immigration party has mainly hurt the ruling party.

Britain's Reform UK leader Nigel Farage speaks to the media, next to newly elected councillors at the Havering Town Hall, following the results of the local elections, in the London Borough of Havering, Britain, May 8, 2026. Reuters

The elections in around 5,000 seats on 136 local councils in England, along with the devolved parliaments in Scotland and Wales, are a big indicator of public opinion ahead of the next general election. The results signal voters’ displeasure with Keir Starmer’s government, triggering questions about his future. Read our report here.

3. The US and Iran launched missile and drone strikes against each other in and around the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian forces attacked three American destroyers while they were passing through the international sea passage, as per the US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM). In response, it said, the American forces targeted Iranian military infrastructure linked to the attack.

This exchange of firing comes even as the two sides are reportedly finalising a one-page memorandum in hopes of ending the conflict. It could pave the way for serious negotiations between the two sides over Iran’s nuclear programme, sanctions relief and maritime access through the Strait of Hormuz. Read our report here.

4. Indian-origin biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy has become the Republican nominee for the Ohio governor race. He won the GOP primary against Casey Putsch, a car designer popular for his automotive-themed online content.

Ramaswamy will now contest the general election against Democrat Amy Acton. He was initially set to co-lead the Department of Government Efficiency, commonly referred to as Doge, with Elon Musk in the Trump administration. However, it was a short-lived stint for him. How did the billionaire enter politics? We take a look at Ramaswamy’s political journey.

5. Italy’s prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, once again fell prey to deepfakes. Sharing an AI-generated image of her wearing lingerie and sitting on a bed, she warned against the dangers of deepfakes.

This is not the first time that AI-generated, nonconsensual sexualised visuals of her have been circulated online. In recent years, women politicians have increasingly been targeted by using their image and superimposing it on an existing sexually explicit picture or video. Italy has tightened laws against such deepfakes. Read more here.

6. A Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker, known as ‘flying gas station’, went missing over Qatar. The US plane had issued an emergency distress signal while flying over the Persian Gulf near Iran.

The KC-135 Stratotanker has been the mainstay of US aerial refuelling operations for more than six decades. In March, a KC-135 Stratotanker was downed in western Iraq during Operation Epic Fury, leading to six US service members being killed. But what happened this time? Here’s what we know.

7. The JPMorgan sexual abuse case continues to get murky. Both Chirayu Rana, the plaintiff, and Lorna Hajdini, the executive accused of sexual harassment, have levelled allegations against each other.

Now, it has come to light that Rana, who accused Hajdini of sexually harassing and racially abusing him, allegedly lied about his father’s death to collect about three months of paid leave. He has also filed new evidence to support his claims of sexual harassment against Hajdini, with an anonymous friend claiming he was invited to join a threesome with the JPMorgan executive. We explain the case here.

This is all we have for you this week. If you like reading our analyses, you can bookmark this page.