Coloradan tests positive for hantavirus
KUSA.com • • health
Key Points:
- A resident of Arapahoe County, Colorado, has tested positive for hantavirus after recent exposure to rodents, with no recent travel history or connection to the MV Hondius cruise ship outbreak.
- This marks the second confirmed hantavirus case in Colorado this year, following a fatal Sin Nombre strain infection in Douglas County.
- The Sin Nombre strain is common in Colorado, particularly during spring and summer, with deer mice being the primary source of transmission to humans.
- Since 1993, Colorado has recorded 132 cases of Sin Nombre hantavirus, including 47 fatalities, and the virus is not known to spread from person to person.
- Health officials emphasize avoiding contact with rodents and their excretions as the best prevention method against hantavirus infection.