Man Dies After Contracting Hantavirus at Yosemite

[Hum]

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK? One person has died and another sickened after contracting a rare illness while vacationing at Yosemite National Park.

The two people, who have only been identified as living in California, were diagnosed with hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.

The virus is spread by rodents, and according to the California Department of Public Health, the patients were exposed to infected mice droppings while camping at Curry Village in Yosemite.

Health officials and Yosemite Rangers routinely check for rodents, and test the deer mouse population for viruses. Not all deer mice carry the hantavirus. After this recent hantavirus diagnoses, Yosemite is increasing their rodent prevention measures.

Overall, about one third of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome cases in California end in death; there have been four cases this year in the state. The virus was first identified in 1993.

The illness shows symptoms anywhere from one to six weeks after exposure, and include a fever, headache, muscle ache, and sometimes difficulty breathing.

When in the wilderness, or places where mice exist, keep food in tightly sealed containers, keep rodents out of buildings by removing places where they can hide like stacked wood or discarded junk, and do not handle or touch live or dead rodents.

source

[DocM]

If you have a population boom in mice, rats, shrews, moles etc. hantavirus hitching a ride is always a possibility. A good reasont for encouraging their majorj predators; snakes, wild cats, prairie wolves, hawks, owls etc.

I love watching our red-tailed hawks hunt, and listening to the prairie wolves sing.

[Growled Member]

Seems like a lot of rare diseases are making a comeback this year.

[KingCracker]

Sucks for them, but loved camping in Yosemite.

[DocM]

Sucks for them, but loved camping in Yosemite.

Same here, but the Upper Peninsula of Michigan is where I spend a lot of tent time. Beautiful, and I have a big soft spot for Gitche Gumee and the Tahquamenon Falls :)

[KingCracker]

Same here, but the Upper Peninsula of Michigan is where I spend a lot of tent time. Beautiful, and I have a big soft spot for Gitche Gumee and the Tahquamenon Falls :)

When I got there the park rangers said there were sightings of a mountain lion on the edge of the camp ground, near where I was camped at lol, unrelated I went there shortly after they made it legal to open carry in national parks. Had the shotgun leaning up against a tree and a few park rangers came over to invite me and my woman to a educational thing they were having, never mentioned anything about my shotgun, didn't even ask to see if it was loaded.

[+Warwagon MVC]

I blame guns.

[DocM]

When I got there the park rangers said there were sightings of a mountain lion on the edge of the camp ground......

We have mountain lions in the UP and upper Lower Peninsula as well, and a sightings and phone videos in the rural and far suburbs around Detroit. DNR doesn't like to discuss the latter though, but most everyone else assumes they're out there. I know they are - one walked across a fire trail right in front of us a few years ago.

[Hum]

Seems like a lot of rare diseases are making a comeback this year.

Helping to control the pet pest population. ;)

[Ryoken]

Hantavirus.. someone call Agent Mulder.

[neufuse Veteran]

Hantavirus.. someone call Agent Mulder.

*Krusty the Klown voice* We all knew it contained spider eggs, but the hanta virus? That came out of left field. So if you're experiencing numbness and/or comas, send five dollars to antidote, PO box...

[rhianntp]

i blame george w bush....heh

[Farstrider]

I blame guns.

I will second that motion!