Library.

“Hantavirus infection can be transmitted from an infected person to other people during the incubation period.”

The claim is not supported by the evidence. Public-health authorities state that person-to-person transmission is mainly associated with Andes virus, not hantaviruses generally, and available evidence points to transmission primarily at or after early symptom onset. At most, a very limited pre-symptomatic window near symptom onset has been discussed, which is not the same as saying transmission occurs during the incubation period broadly.

“As of May 7, 2026, the case-fatality rate of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome in the United States is about 35%.”

The best U.S. evidence places HPS case-fatality in the mid-to-high 30s, so “about 35%” is broadly accurate. A 1993–2024 summary reports 34.9%, while CDC public-facing materials often round higher, to roughly 38–40%. The claim is reasonable as an approximation, but it understates the higher figure often used by CDC.

“Alcohol consumption causes cancer in humans.”

Alcohol is a well-established human carcinogen. Major public-health and cancer authorities state that drinking alcohol causally increases the risk of several cancers, including breast, colorectal, liver, esophageal, and head-and-neck cancers. The claim is broad, but the omitted nuance does not alter the central fact that alcohol consumption causes cancer in humans.

“The United States has recorded 1,748 measles cases in 2026, which would be the highest annual total since 1991.”

The comparative claim fails on the facts. While the CDC does confirm 1,748 measles cases as of April 16, 2026, this is a partial-year count — and critically, the full year of 2025 already recorded approximately 2,288 cases, which was itself the highest annual total since 1991. Therefore, 1,748 cases would not represent the highest total since 1991; that distinction already belongs to 2025.

“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention paused diagnostic testing for rabies in 2026.”

Multiple independent, high-authority news outlets — including CIDRAP, CBS News, The Guardian, and POLITICO Pro — confirm that the CDC listed rabies diagnostic testing as "temporarily paused" on its website beginning around March 30, 2026, amid staffing shortages and agency restructuring. The word "paused" in the claim accurately reflects the temporary nature of the halt. State public health labs retained some testing capacity during this period, but the CDC's own diagnostic services were indeed suspended.

“Vaccines contain ingredients that are harmful to human health.”

This claim is misleading. While it's true that rare allergic reactions to vaccine excipients (like gelatin or PEG) occur in roughly 1 per million doses, the unqualified statement implies vaccines are broadly dangerous. The overwhelming scientific consensus — including WHO, the CDC, the AAP, and a landmark study of 1.2 million children — confirms that vaccine ingredients like aluminum adjuvants and thimerosal are safe at the doses used, with no causal link to autism, neurological disorders, or systemic harm.

“The MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine causes autism in children.”

This claim is false. The sole study linking MMR to autism (Wakefield, 1998) was retracted by The Lancet for deliberate fraud. Since then, overwhelming scientific evidence — including WHO's 2025 review of 31 studies, a Cochrane review of 23 million children, and a meta-analysis of 1.25 million children — consistently finds no causal link between the MMR vaccine and autism. Every major health authority (WHO, AAP, National Academies) confirms vaccines do not cause autism.

“Vaccines cause autism spectrum disorder in children.”

This claim is false. Decades of research — including WHO's December 2025 review of 31 studies, a Danish study of over 1 million children, and reviews by the National Academies and AAP — consistently find no causal link between vaccines and autism. The original 1998 Wakefield study that sparked this myth was retracted for fraud. A 2025 CDC website update noting causation hasn't been "ruled out" reflects uncertainty, not evidence of causation, and was criticized by the National Academies for lacking context.