Jakarta, ThedailyID — Old remarks from Bill Gates about a future pandemic have resurfaced after suspected Hantavirus infection cases appeared aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship.
The discussion spread quickly online after reports linked the ship to several suspected infections and three deaths. Social media users began resharing clips of Gates warning that COVID-19 would not be the world’s last major outbreak.
In a February 2025 interview on The View, Gates said another pandemic could emerge within the next few decades.
“The pandemic, sadly, was fairly predictable. And it won’t be the last pandemic. The next one could be far more severe,” Gates said.
He also stressed that many countries still had not improved their health systems after COVID-19. Gates urged governments to strengthen disease surveillance and pandemic preparedness.
“Oh, certainly we’ll have one in the next 25 years,” he added.
In another interview with The Wall Street Journal, Gates estimated there was a 10–15% chance of another natural pandemic within four years.
“It’d be nice to think we’re more ready than last time, but so far we’re not,” he said.
The warnings gained attention again after health authorities monitored suspected hantavirus cases on the MV Hondius. Officials said the ship had traveled through the Atlantic region after departing from Argentina.
However, World Health Organization officials emphasized that hantavirus does not spread easily between humans.
The virus usually spreads through contact with infected rodents or their urine, saliva, and droppings. In severe cases, it can cause dangerous respiratory illness with high fatality rates.
WHO officials said hantavirus currently does not show the same transmission pattern as COVID-19. As a result, experts do not consider it a major pandemic threat at this time.
The resurfaced interview also reignited debate online about global preparedness for future outbreaks. Many users pointed to Gates’ past warnings, including his 2015 TED Talk about pandemic risks.
Despite growing concern online, health authorities urged the public to stay calm and rely on official information instead of speculation.
