Hantavirus has taken the life of someone in Arizona.
The Mohave County Department of Public Health revealed on Monday that a Kingman, Arizona, resident has passed away due to Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), which comes from infected rodent droppings. The person’s exposure to the virus “could not be determined,” and officials could not rule out local transmission.
Kingman is located about 100 miles from Las Vegas and 50 miles from the California border.
Related: 5 Hantavirus Cruise Ship Passengers Leave Quarantine Unit
But before you panic. No, this has nothing to do with the hantavirus outbreak stemming from an expedition cruise ship named MV Hondius.
This new case involves the “Sin Nombre” strain of the virus — not the rare “Andes” strain that is transferred between humans and was present on the cruise ship. A press release stated:
“The type of hantavirus found in Arizona is known as Sin Nombre virus, which is carried primarily by deer mice. This is the strain historically associated with cases in Arizona and the Southwest. It is different from the Andes virus that recently received national media attention and was linked to a cruise ship investigation in South America. This hantavirus case is related to the Sin Nombre virus strain and is not related to the Andes virus outbreak associated with the MV Hondius cruise ship.
Sin Nombre virus is not known to spread from person to person. Most infections occur when individuals breathe in dust contaminated with the urine, droppings, saliva, or nesting materials of infected rodents.”
So why report on it? Despite Sin Nombre being considered rare, local officials want residents to be mindful, especially when “spending time outdoors or cleaning areas where rodents may be present,” Health Director Melissa Palmer said. Officials urged people to keep an eye out for any concerning symptoms, such as fever, fatigue, muscle aches, headaches, dizziness, chills, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. More severe symptoms include shortness of breath and difficulty breathing. Symptoms can develop seven to eight days after exposure. Check out the full press release HERE.
Obviously, they’re not trying to create a panic, given the already scary virus outbreaks happening throughout the globe. Still, it says a LOT that they’re going out of their way to warn people!
Stay safe out there, y’all!!!
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