A Grant County man in his 20s has died from hantavirus, spread by rodents, in the first case Washington state reported this year. His is the 19th known death from the virus in the state since 1985. Most hantavirus cases in the state are in Eastern Washington, particularly in rural areas, according to the state Department of Health.
In 2017, a Franklin County woman — a 25-year-old mother in Mesa — died after being infected with hantavirus. The man who died recently was likely exposed to rodents in a vehicle, according to the Grant County Health District. Although the district did not say what kind of rodents, deer mice in Eastern Washington are the carriers of the virus.
People can be infected with hantavirus by breathing in dust contaminated from the urine, droppings or nests of infected rodents. They also can be infected by touching contaminated objects and then touching their nose or mouth. The greatest risk of infection is in enclosed spaces, such as sheds, cabins or vehicles that have rodent infestations and little fresh air.
Symptoms appear one to eight weeks after exposure and may include fever, muscle aches, fatigue, headaches, dizziness, chills and abdominal problems such as nausea or diarrhea. Later symptoms such as shortness of breath, coughing and tightening of the chest as fluid fills the lungs require hospitalization. The disease is fatal in just over a third of the cases.
Several cases in Benton and Franklin counties have been linked to cleaning out old buil.
