Third Yosemite Hantavirus Death Reported, Number of People Potentially Exposed Climbs to 22,000
Posted on September 7, 2012
NBC reports that Yosemite National Park has now sent out warnings to 22,000 people telling them they may have been exposed to hantavirus. Initially, ten thousand people were thought to be exposed to the virus while staying at tent cabins that had deer mice living between the walls. The hantavirus is spread by the feces and urine of infected mice. The mortality rate is 38% according to the CDC. You can read more about the outbreak in our previous post.
NBC also says there have been three deaths out of eight infected people. The latest death was a person from West Virginia who stayed at the park in the cabins in June. Health experts believe the number of cases will rise because it can take up to six weeks for people to develop symptoms. Take a look:
WebMD reports that one of the new cases did not stay in the Curry Village cabins, but several miles away in the High Sierra tents.