GRANT COUNTY, Wash. – The Grant County Health District (GCHD) confirmed on Wed., June 12 in a press release that a county resident died from Hantavirus, the sixth case in the county in the last 20 years.
Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome is a rare and sometimes deadly illness caused by a virus found in the urine, droppings and saliva of infected rodents, according to GCHD. In Washington, deer mice are the primary carriers.
The person who died was reportedly in their 20s and had a known exposure to rodents prior to their illness.
Hantavirus is usually caused by breathing in contaminated dust from fresh urine, droppings or nests of infected rodents. People can become infected by touching a contaminated surface then touching their face.
GCHD says Hantavirus symptoms usually appear one to six weeks after being exposed. Symptoms include fevers, muscle aches, fatigue, headaches, dizziness, chills and abdominal issues like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pain.
Late symptoms typically appear four to 10 days after the initial illness phase. These can include coughing, shortness of breath and chest tightness due to fluid filling the lungs, typically resulting in hospitalization with over one-third of cases resulting in death.
To prevent Hantavirus, GCHD recommends the following when cleaning possibly contaminated areas:
Ventilate areas where rodents are present before cleaningDo not stir up dust with leaf blowers, vacuums or broomsWear rubber, latex, vinyl or nitrile glovesSpray, soak and wipe away contaminated areas with a 10 percent bleach solutionDouble-bag dirty rags and dead rodents before putting them in a sealed garbage canDisinfect gloves before removing them and wash hands thoroughly
To learn more about Hantavirus, visit the Washington State Department of Health website and the Center of Disease Control website.
