HANTA meme coin price jumps more than 450%, WHO assesses the risk of hantavirus as lower

According to GMGN platform data, the Solana meme coin HANTA launched on May 7 and saw a notable surge at 6:00 a.m. on May 8. Its market cap rose by more than 450% within one hour, briefly touching $18 million before falling back to about $9 million. According to BBC reporting, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that the risk assessment level for the MV Hondius hantavirus outbreak is “low.”

HANTA Meme Coin market data

Based on GMGN monitoring platform data as of May 8, 2026:

24-hour price increase: about 650%

Market cap peak: about $18 million; after dropping from its high, back to about $9 million

24-hour on-chain trading volume: over $40 million

Listing date: May 7, 2026

According to blockchain media BlockBeats reporting, the HANTA meme coin’s token name is the same as the English name of the MV Hondius hantavirus outbreak (Hanta), and both entered public view within the same time frame.

MV Hondius hantavirus outbreak: confirmed facts and timeline

According to WHO official statements and BBC reporting on May 8, 2026, the core facts of the MV Hondius hantavirus outbreak are as follows:

Vessel information: MV Hondius is operated by Oceanwide Expeditions. It departed from Ushuaia, Argentina on April 1, 2026, and is expected to arrive in the Canary Islands, Spain on May 10

Original passengers: about 150 passengers and crew members from 28 countries; on April 24, at least 29 passengers disembarked on St. Helena, a UK overseas territory island

Confirmed case data: among 8 suspected cases, as of May 7 there were 5 confirmed cases, and 3 people died

Date of first confirmed case: May 4, 2026

Transmission characteristics: WHO confirmed this as the first recorded case of human-to-human transmission for hantavirus

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Singapore’s infectious disease department, and health authorities in Georgia and Arizona in the United States have all initiated tracking and monitoring procedures for disembarked passengers.

WHO official public health risk assessment

According to WHO’s official statement at a press conference on May 7, 2026, WHO infectious disease epidemiologist Maria Van Kerkhove said: “This is not COVID-19, and it is not influenza; its transmission is very different.” She noted that the hantavirus is transmitted through “close contact,” and its transmission characteristics are significantly different from COVID-19.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced that WHO’s assessment of the public health risk level for this outbreak is “low.” Tedros also said that the first two confirmed patients had previously gone on birdwatching trips to Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay, and entered areas where rodents known to carry hantavirus are present. WHO also stated that the hantavirus incubation period can be up to six weeks, and officials are continuing to stay in contact with relevant departments, with more cases possibly to be reported later.

FAQ

What is the source of the on-chain market data for the HANTA meme coin?

Based on GMGN monitoring platform data as of May 8, 2026, the HANTA meme coin’s 24-hour on-chain trading volume is over $40 million, the market cap peak is about $18 million, and the 24-hour price increase is about 650%.

What is WHO’s official risk assessment for the MV Hondius hantavirus outbreak?

According to WHO’s official statement at its press conference on May 7, 2026, WHO rated the global public health risk level of this hantavirus outbreak as “low,” and clearly pointed out that its transmission route is significantly different from COVID-19.

What are the sources for confirmed case and death data in the MV Hondius hantavirus outbreak?

According to WHO’s official statement as of May 7, 2026, and BBC reporting on May 8, 2026, there were 8 suspected cases in total, 5 confirmed cases, 3 deaths. The first confirmed case was formally reported by Oceanwide Expeditions on May 4, 2026.