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Tag: hantavirus

  • Yosemite Virus Still a Danger For Campers

    Yosemite Virus Still a Danger For Campers

    Two weeks ago it was announced that an outbreak of a rare disease had been linked to a campsite at Yosemite National Park. At the time, one man had died and a woman was gravely ill from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a deadly virus spread by rodents. The park suggested that people seek out medical treatment if they developed any symptoms, which are generally flu-like at the outset.

    Since that time, it has become clear that the hantavirus outbreak isn’t yet contained. The infected woman succumbed to the disease and four new cases were identified. Just before the holiday weekend, it was made clear that the national park was working with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to investigate the outbreak and identify new cases.

    “CDPH is working closely with the National Park Service and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to further investigate the cluster of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome cases in Yosemite and reduce the risk of other visitors becoming ill from this virus,” said CDPH Director Dr. Ron Chapman on August 30. “CDPH is continuing to monitor cases of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome in persons who visited Yosemite National Park.”

    The park has begun scaling up its public awareness campaign, and has begun contacting campers who have stayed at Yosemite’s Curry Village in recent months. Around 3,000 people have been contacted and informed of hantavirus symptoms. The campsite has not been closed.

    “The park and public health officials are contacting visitors and raising awareness in the medical community to increase the chances that any additional cases that may be incubating will be successfully diagnosed and treated early,” stated Dr. Danielle Buttke, an epidemiologist with the National Park Service Office of Public Health.

    Luckily, the four people confirmed to have hantavirus who haven’t died are reported to be improving or recovered. Still, hantavirus can be extremely deadly. While the early symptoms of the disease are generally flu-like, they can include coughing, malaise, headache, nausea, vomiting, and shortness of breath, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health. If not treated promptly, the virus can cause lung, kidney, and/or heart failure. The disease is spread by rodent urine, droppings, and saliva, particularly of deer mice.

  • Hantavirus: Yosemite Campers Catch Rare Disease

    A rare disease that killed one man and sickened a woman has been linked to a camping spot in Yosemite National Park. The Associated Press (AP) is reporting that a man who stayed at the Curry Villiage camping spot in Yosemite died from hantavirus. A woman who stayed near the man during the same time also contracted hantavirus and has become sick, but is expected to survive.

    Park officials told the AP that this is the first hantavirus-related death in the park’s history, though two other cases of hantavirus have been recorded in the past 12 years. Hantavirus symptoms can take weeks to appear in those infected, so campers are being advised to seek medical treatment if they develop any symptoms, which are listed below.

    The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) describes hantavirus as a life-threatening disease spread by rodents, especially deer mice. The early symptoms of hantavirus, such as fever, chills, and muscle ache, are similar to the flu. After this period, those infected can begin to feel better, but find it hard to breathe within 1-2 days. A dry cough, malaise, headache, nausea, vomiting, and shortness of breath are further symptoms of hantavirus. If not admitted to a hospital promptly, the virus can cause lung, kidney, and/or heart failure, leading to death. According to the NIH, there is no effective treatment for hantavirus infection involving the lungs, and more than half of those infected in their lungs die, even with aggressive treatment including breathing machines.

    The NIH advises that people avoid exposure to rodent urine and droppings to decrease their risk for hantavirus. The NIH website even contains detailed instructions on working in an area where rodent droppings are likely to be. The process involves airing out the area, disinfecting it, and spraying mouse nests with a bleach solution before incinerating them.