Old ‘The X-Files’ Hantavirus Episode Has Fans Saying It "Predicted" 2026
"Yup, that great scene was the first thing I thought of when they said #Hantavirus. Chris Carter told us DECADES AGO."
Published May 8 2026, 10:33 a.m. ET
People online are once again turning to The X-Files after a clip involving hantavirus resurfaced amid growing concern surrounding the outbreak linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius.
The viral X post shared by @MJTruthUltra gained traction after social media users began connecting scenes from the long-running sci-fi franchise to the real-world outbreak, which has already resulted in multiple deaths and confirmed infections aboard the ship.
Why are ‘The X-Files’ hantavirus episodes going viral?
An X post shared by @MJTruthUltra recently went viral after highlighting multiple The X-Files references involving hantavirus and government cover-ups. The user pointed to the 1998 film Fight the Future, in which Dr. Alvin Kurtzweil tells Fox Mulder that FEMA allegedly managed a small hantavirus outbreak in Texas to conceal extraterrestrial infection activity.
The post also referenced “X-Cops,” Season 7, Episode 12 of The X-Files, in which a fear-manifesting creature kills one character through what appears to be a sudden hantavirus infection. According to the viral thread, hantavirus was often used throughout the franchise as a realistic biological threat that masked larger alien conspiracies within the show’s mythology.
The real hantavirus outbreak has fueled online conspiracy theories.
The resurfaced clips come amid international attention surrounding the hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius, a Dutch cruise ship operated by Oceanwide Expeditions. According to NDTV Profit, three people aboard the vessel died, including one passenger with a confirmed hantavirus infection. The World Health Organization later confirmed that five of eight suspected cases tested positive for the virus.
Health officials have since worked to trace passengers who disembarked in Saint Helena after the ship departed Argentina on April 1. The WHO stated that the outbreak is not comparable to COVID-19 and described the overall public health risk as low. WHO epidemiologist Maria van Kerkhove reportedly explained that hantavirus spreads differently from influenza or coronavirus and is typically transmitted through rodents.
Still, conspiracy theories quickly spread online after older X posts discussing a potential “2026 hantavirus pandemic” resurfaced. One viral 2022 post simply read: “2023: Corona ended 2026: Hantavirus.”
Another resurfaced post from 2012 allegedly referenced a workshop discussion about making hantavirus transmissible between humans.
Some viewers also linked the outbreak to old claims about ‘The X-Files.’
Several social media users also revived long-running conspiracy theories claiming intelligence agencies influenced storylines within The X-Files. The theory resurfaced after the viral hantavirus clips began circulating online, with some users pointing to older claims that government agencies occasionally provided “ideas” to Hollywood writers.
Others simply joked about the timing of the renewed interest in UFO-related media, especially after President Donald Trump’s recent comments about releasing additional government UFO files.
Online reactions ranged from amused disbelief to outright concern. “They always have to tell you their evil plans before they implement them. According to the dark side theology. We just see a tv show when in reality they’ve given us the warning. Projection or paranoia? You decide!” one X user wrote.
Another person commented, “Yup, that great scene was the first thing I thought of when they said #Hantavirus. Chris Carter told us DECADES AGO.”
Despite the speculation online, global health officials continue to stress that the current hantavirus outbreak does not resemble the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.