Sandoval woman 1st Hantavirus case

SANDOVAL COUNTY — A 37-year-old woman from Sandoval County is hospitalized with confirmed Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, the first case in New Mexico this year, the state Department of Health said.

“This case early in the year emphasizes that precautions against HPS need to be taken year round,” Health Cabinet Secretary Retta Ward said in a statement.

Hantavirus is a deadly disease transmitted by infected rodents through urine, droppings or saliva, the department said in a news release. People can contract it when they breathe in the virus. The deer mouse is the primary carrier of Sin Nombre virus, the Hantavirus strain found in the state.

“Disturbing areas of rodent infestation … can cause the virus to be stirred up into the air where the particles can be breathed in. To be safe, wet down droppings with a disinfectant and wait 10 minutes before cleaning them up,” said Dr. Paul Ettestad, the department’s public health veterinarian.

Early symptoms of Hantavirus infection include fever and muscle aches, possibly with chills, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain, and a cough that progresses to respiratory distress. Symptoms develop one to six weeks after rodent exposure.

Last year, New Mexico had one case of Hantavirus, in a 53-year-old woman who survived. In 2014, New Mexico had six Hantavirus cases, with 3 fatalities.

For more information, visit: http://nmhealth.org/ about/ erd/ ideb/ zdp/ hps/.