Antisemitic Hantavirus Conspiracy Theory Spreads on Social Media Despite False Claims

A conspiracy theory falsely claiming that the word “hanta” means “scam,” “fraud,” or “nonsense” in “Hebrew slang” has spread rapidly across social media platforms, including Instagram, Threads, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube. The theory suggests that the hantavirus—a well-documented illness with documented outbreaks spanning several decades—is somehow a fabricated scheme, allegedly perpetrated by the Israeli government or unspecified Jewish groups.

This claim is entirely false. The word “hantavirus” originates from the Hantaan River in Korea, where the prototype virus was first identified. The virus is not new; it was isolated in 1978 and cultivated in laboratories as early as 1981. Hantavirus is typically transmitted through close contact with infected rodents or their urine, saliva, or feces.

In New Mexico, hantavirus cases occur almost annually. Last year, Betsy Arakawa, wife of actor Gene Hackman and a resident of Santa Fe, died from the illness. Despite this, the false “Hebrew slang” claim has gained traction in recent weeks, spreading through nearly identical posts shared by users with no public prominence.

How the Conspiracy Theory Spread

The pattern of misinformation dissemination reveals how conspiracy theories are fabricated and amplified in real time, as well as the challenges platforms face in addressing coded hate speech. Posts typically follow a standardized format: users ask, “I wonder what Hanta means in Hebrew,” followed by a screenshot or video showing a Google search result. The search displays an AI-generated summary claiming:

“In Hebrew slang, hanta (חַנְטָה) means nonsense, a lie, a scam, or something completely fake. It is often used colloquially as the equivalent of ‘that’s bullshit’ or ‘a load of garbage.’”

The AI summary cites two sources: an answer from Grok, X’s in-house AI chatbot, and a now-deleted Reddit thread. A nearly identical AI-generated explanation also appears when users search the phrase on Instagram.

The false claim gained such traction on X that it became a trending topic on the platform. One of the most widely viewed posts came from Divinely Sierra, a New Age influencer, whose video amassed over two million views on Instagram. In a comment added after widespread backlash, Sierra stated:

“I can’t stress enough about how this post is not a dig at Jews… This post is specifically talking about how this reality and everything we see come from the world stage is [a] construct.”

Why the Claim Is Dangerous and False

• Linguistic Inaccuracy: The word “hantavirus” has no connection to Hebrew. It is derived from the Hantaan River in Korea, where the virus was first identified.
• Medical Reality: Hantavirus is a recognized zoonotic disease with documented outbreaks dating back decades. It is not a new or fabricated illness.
• Public Health Impact: Misinformation about hantavirus can discourage people from taking necessary precautions against rodent-borne diseases, putting public health at risk.

Health authorities continue to emphasize that hantavirus is a real and potentially fatal illness. The spread of such conspiracy theories not only fuels antisemitism but also undermines trust in public health information.