Everyday places hantavirus can hide in your home and yard, experts say
Fox News • • general
Key Points:
- The current hantavirus outbreak linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship involves the rare Andes strain, which can spread between humans through prolonged close contact, unlike other hantavirus strains in the U.S.
- Most hantavirus cases in the U.S. occur in the desert Southwest and West Coast, with different strains varying in infectiousness; the Bayou strain in east Texas and west Louisiana is less infectious than the western Sin Nombre strain.
- Hantavirus is primarily transmitted through contact with infected rodents or their droppings, urine, and saliva, often when inhaling contaminated dust in enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces like sheds, garages, and cabins.
- Preventive measures include wearing masks, using disinfectants like diluted bleach to wet surfaces, avoiding vacuuming or sweeping rodent waste, and practicing thorough handwashing after cleaning areas with potential rodent exposure.
- Experts caution that hantavirus remains rare in the U.S. and is mostly confined to specific regions, advising the public not to overestimate the risk of infection in everyday life.