First hantavirus case confirmed

Town Crier “Briefs from the Region” (2) – 4/13/21

The first case of hantavirus in the U.S. since 2018 was discovered in Montana last week, according to the Department of Public Health and Human Services. The patient, a male from Richland County, was working out of state when he contracted the virus in close contact with mice. He was hospitalized but is now recovering at home. Hantavirus is an infection picked up when dried saliva, urine or droppings from an infected rodent are inhaled. Symptoms include fatigue, fever and muscle aches progressing to coughing and extreme shortness of breath and can result in hospitalization. Although cases of hantavirus are rare in the U.S., 25 percent of cases in Montana result in death, according to the DPHHS. They noted that the best way to avoid getting infected is to mitigate and prevent rodent infestations.