By Callum Keown
The chances of the hantavirus outbreak becoming another Covid-19 pandemic appear unlikely for now but the market is positioning itself for that outcome anyway -- through Moderna stock.
The stock jumped 7.2% to $58.25 in premarket trading Monday after a U.S. national tested positive for the Andes strain of hantavirus. The shares, which rose 12% on Friday, are on track for their highest close since October 2024, according to Dow Jones Market Data.
Moderna shares hit a 52-week closing low of $22.26 on Nov. 20, 2025 but has jumped 161% since then, as of Monday's premarket price.
The U.S. health department said one passenger on a repatriation flight has tested mildly positive for the virus, while another is currently experiencing mild symptoms. The Department of Health and Human Services $(HHS)$ said all 17 American citizens from the MV Hondius cruise ship are currently en route to the U.S.
The two passengers are traveling in the plane's biocontainment units "out of an abundance of caution," HHS said in a statement.
The company confirmed it was exploring a hantavirus treatment in a statement Thursday, describing its efforts as "early-stage and ongoing" and as part of a broader push to address emerging infectious diseases.
Write to Callum Keown at callum.keown@dowjones.com
This content was created by Barron's, which is operated by Dow Jones & Co. Barron's is published independently from Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
May 11, 2026 06:47 ET (10:47 GMT)
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