By SDCN Editor
San Diego, CA–A deer mouse collected near Mount Laguna on August 24 during routine monitoring by county officials has tested positive for hantavirus.
This is the seventh routine detection of hantavirus in the region this year, County officials said.
It is common to find hantavirus in wild rodents in San Diego County. Human contact with the infected rodent is rare, however, individuals can be exposed to the virus if rodents are inside their home or garage. They shed the virus in their urine, feces, and saliva. Once the matter dries, it can be stirred into the air where people can inhale it. There is no cure or vaccine for the virus, county officials said.
“People can be exposed to the virus when wild rodents invade their living areas— such as homes, garages and sheds. People should be particularly aware when doing activities around their homes such as cleaning garages, sheds, and outbuildings,” the county stated.
Residents who find wild rodents, nests, or other signs of rodents in their homes should use “wet cleaning” methods. To avoid exposure, individuals should use rubber gloves, bleach or other disinfectants, and bags. Sweeping or vacuuming rodents’ matter can stir hantavirus into the air where it could be inhaled.
Symptoms of hantavirus usually develop between 1 to 8 weeks after exposure. Individuals exposed can experience severe muscle aches, chills, fever or fatigue, headache, or dizziness. nausea, vomiting stomach pain, and difficulty breathing. They should seek medical attention immediately.
To avoid exposure to the virus, residents should seal up all external holes in homes, garages, and sheds larger than a dime to keep rodents from getting in.
Residents should ventilate the affected area by opening doors and windows for at least 30 minutes before starting to clean.
With rubber gloves, spray a 10% bleach solution or other disinfectants onto dead rodents, rodent poop, nests, contaminated traps, and surrounding areas, then let the disinfectant stand for at least 15 minutes before cleaning.
Clean the infected area with a sponge or a mop that has been soaked in disinfectant. When cleaning is done place disinfected rodents and debris into two plastic bags, seal them, and discard them in the trash.
Wash gloves in a bleach solution, then soap and water, and dispose of them using the same double-bag method. Thoroughly wash hands with soap and water.
