
(ConservativeSense.com) – Arizona officials have warned about an increase in hantavirus cases after seven cases of the disease were reported in the past six months.
The Arizona Emergency Information Network issued a press release noting that the state has experienced an increase in “hantavirus activity” since January that has killed three people. Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) is a respiratory illness transmitted from rodents via their urine, feces, or saliva. It spreads to humans usually through handling objects contaminated with rodent fluids. It does not transmit from human to human.
The rodent most associated with the disease in the US is the deer mouse. Although the animal lives nationwide, the disease is most often found in western and southwestern states. Two further infections were discovered in California this year.
Only eleven cases occurred in Arizona between 2016 and 2022, meaning this year’s figures represent a significant increase. Trish Lees, public information officer at Coconino County Health and Human Services, said the upsurge may be due to changes in rodent activity and population size, evidenced by elevated numbers in summer months when deer mice can find more food and are more likely to come into contact with people.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explains that hantaviruses cause two separate syndromes: hantavirus pulmonary syndrome and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome. It states that the syndromes primarily affect the lungs and kidneys, and symptoms start to show between one and eight weeks after exposure. Primary symptoms of HPS are fatigue, fever, and muscle aches. These can progress to headaches and vomiting in many cases, and later symptoms can include coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. There is no cure for the illness, and it can be fatal.
The agency advises blocking potential rodent access points in the home and taking other common-sense measures to avoid interaction with rodents as much as possible.
Copyright 2024, ConservativeSense.com