Media Coverage

Could the Hantavirus Outbreak Become the Next Pandemic? Northwestern Expert Weighs In

Northwestern Medicine infectious disease expert Dr. Michael Angarone stresses the importance of monitoring updates as health officials continue investigating hantavirus.

“There are big differences between the Hantavirus outbreak thats going on on the cruise ship and the Covid pandemic,” Angarone said.

Can Mice and Rats Spread Hantavirus in Illinois? What to Know After Possible Case

A possible case of hantavirus in Illinois not believed to be connected to the recent cruise ship outbreak that killed at least three people has sparked questions about how the virus can spread in the state and whether homeowners should be concerned about mice or rats.

“We’ve never had a documented hantavirus case in the rats here in Chicago. Most of the hantaviruses that we see here in North America is actually west of the Mississippi,” Dr. Michael Angarone with Northwestern Medicine told NBC Chicago.

Illinois Health Officials Investigating Possible Hantavirus Case in Winnebago County Not Linked to Cruise Ship

The Illinois Department of Public Health said it is investigating a potential case of hantavirus in an Illinois resident that they said is not linked to the deadly cruise ship outbreak. IDPH said the patient is a resident of Winnebago County, close to the Rockford area, who had not traveled internationally and had not had any contact with any of the cruise ship passengers.

“It’s (spread) by breathing it in, it’s by inhaling it or by ingesting it,” said Dr. Michael Angarone with Northwestern Medicine.

Why Is Colon Cancer on the Rise in Young People? What to Know and Steps You Can Take

Colon cancer is being diagnosed in younger people more often, according to the American Cancer Society, with incident rates rising 3% per year for adults 20 to 49. A study published in the journal Nature in 2025 found exposure to the bacterial toxin colibactin early in life may contribute to “increasing incidence” of early-onset colorectal cancer.

Another study looked into whether microplastics could be a driver for early-onset colorectal cancer. “I didn’t always believe this microplastics concept, but the science is there, that these microplastics can be seen in the body, and we really need to understand how we can reduce that and the contribution they have to disease,” said Dr. Rajesh Keswani, the director of endoscopy at the Digestive Health Institute at Northwestern Medicine.

Dr. Jeffrey Kopin: What to Know About Hantavirus and Health Considerations When On a Cruise

Dr. Jeffrey Kopin, Chief Medical Officer for Northwestern Medicine Catherine Gratz Griffin Lake Forest Hospital, joins John Williams to talk about what we should know about the hantavirus in general, things to take into consideration pertaining to your health when on a cruise, observations from waste-stream analyses, and more.

Menopause: Changing the Conversation

More than a million women in the United States enter menopause each year. There are some 100 symptoms associated with menopause. These changes can bring with them a variety of challenging physical and emotional symptoms and how a woman’s body responds to them can vary day to day.

“The big question is often, can I take [Hormone Replacement Therapy]? You can look at the rollercoaster of the data of prescriptions over the years. It was awesome for everyone then it was terrible for everyone. So now, we take a more nuanced approach, and we ask is it right for you,” said Dr. Priya Freaney, Cardiologist, Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute.

NASA Engineer Gets Double-Lung Transplant at Northwestern Hospital

Jodi Graf, a NASA engineer and mother of two from Houston, was diagnosed with a terminal lung disease that scars the lungs. She heard about a clinical trial known as DREAM here at Northwestern, where select patients can get double-lung transplants.

“To qualify for the DREAM trial, you have to have failed more conventional treatments for lung cancer. She had failed those treatments. Her cancer was spreading and was in both lungs, and so she was very sick,” said Dr. Catherine Myers, Northwestern Medicine pulmonologist.

Diabetes Drug Eclipsed by GLP-1s May Still Have Some Tricks Up Its Sleeve

Metformin, the pre-eminent type 2 diabetes drug prior to the arrival of GLP-1 medications, may have been hiding its own secret power all along. Northwestern University researchers have found the world’s most-used blood sugar-regulating type 2 drug could lead to a brand new strategy for controlling blood sugar, another entry in the growing field of gut science.

“Metformin essentially helps the intestine suck the glucose out of the bloodstream, which further highlights that the gut plays a major role in regulating blood sugar levels,” corresponding author Navdeep Chandel, professor of biochemistry and molecular genetics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, said in a release.

Local Experts Monitoring Hantavirus Cases, Say Risk to Chicago Area Is Low

“I do not think we should be worried about a COVID-style outbreak or influenza-like outbreak. This virus transmits very slowly from person to person, with very few people picking it up,” said Northwestern Medicine Infectious Disease Dr. Michael Angarone.

At this point, there are no known cases of hantavirus in the Chicago area, and local health officials hope it stays that way.