A mysterious social media post from 2022 has resurfaced online and sparked debate after recent reports of a rare hantavirus outbreak aboard a cruise ship drew worldwide attention.
The viral discussion began after X user Jordan Crowder shared screenshots of an old account with a biographer, “reads the future,” and claimed that the account only made four posts in 2022 before disappearing from the platform.
Among those posts was one short message that has now spread across social media: “2023: Corona is over 2026: Hantavirus”.
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Crowder wrote: “This person has only posted 4 posts… All in one week in 2022… Their bio says ‘reads the future’… This post says: 2023: Corona Ended 2026: Hantavirus. It’s the only post of its type. Grok confirmed it hasn’t been edited since 22. Weird.”
The original post on the @iamasoothsayer account has since gone viral, particularly after it refocused on hantavirus infections following an outbreak linked to the expedition cruise ship MV Hondius.
The Internet flooded with reactions
The rediscovered tweet quickly became a topic of online discussion, with users reacting with disbelief, humor and conspiracy theories.
“No bro this can’t be real,” one user commented.
Another wrote: “Wait how did this guy recognize THIS virus 3 years ago.”
“Could be one of the lab scientists who decided to let the cat out of the bag very early. We just didn’t see it,” commented a third user.
“You just know they’re going to upgrade the crap out of this virus in ways the other one failed,” wrote another.
Read also | Hantavirus outbreak on cruise ship: 3 infected patients evacuated
“All done in the same month the account was created and it hasn’t been active since,” pointed out a fifth user.
While many users saw the post as an eerie coincidence, others speculated whether the tweet was related to previous scientific findings about hantaviruses, which have long been investigated by global health agencies.
What is happening with the Hantavirus outbreak?
The online frenzy comes amid growing international attention over a hantavirus outbreak linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius, which was traveling between Argentina and Cape Verde.
According to updates shared by the World Health Organization and South African authorities, at least three people have died, including a Dutch couple, while several others reportedly developed symptoms during the cruise.
Read also | World News Today Highlights 6 May 2026: Hantavirus outbreak on cruise ship: 3 infected patients evacuated to Netherlands, WHO says
South African Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi told a parliamentary committee that investigators had confirmed a rare Andean strain of hantavirus in a passenger evacuated to South Africa.
The Andes variant is considered particularly significant because it is one of the few known hantavirus strains capable of limited human-to-human transmission.
Motsoaledi said such transmission remains “very rare and only occurs through very close contact”. Authorities are currently tracking nearly 90 people connected to the plane, airport and hospital connected to the patient.
The World Health Organization is also investigating whether human-to-human transmission may have occurred during the outbreak.
Why experts are watching it closely
Hantavirus infections are usually associated with exposure to infected rodent urine, feces, or saliva. Most strains do not spread between humans.
However, scientists have previously documented limited human-to-human transmission involving Andean orthohantavirus, primarily in South America.
Health experts say the cruise ship environment has drawn attention because the close quarters and prolonged interaction between passengers can make even rare transmission patterns more visible.
The outbreak has prompted coordinated multi-country investigations, although authorities continue to stress that the overall risk to public health remains low.
Symptoms and risks
Hantavirus can cause serious illness, including Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), which can rapidly progress from flu-like symptoms to respiratory failure.
Common symptoms include fever, fatigue, muscle aches, headache, dizziness, and shortness of breath.
According to health experts, severe cases can carry a mortality rate of up to 40%, so early medical intervention is critical.
Despite alarmist headlines and viral speculation on the Internet, there is currently no evidence of widespread community transmission associated with the ongoing outbreak.
However, a retweet from 2022 has added an unexpected social media dimension to the unfolding public health story, with many users continuing to debate whether the post was just a coincidence or something much stranger.
