The town of Mammoth Lakes in California is in crisis due to three recent deaths from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare but deadly illness. This follows the earlier death of Betsy Arakawa, wife of actor Gene Hackman, from the same virus. Mono County Public Health has expressed concern about the unusual timing and clustering of these cases. Typically, hantavirus infections are linked to exposure to rodent droppings, yet the source of the latest case remains uncertain, leaving health officials worried about potential hidden risks in the community.
Hantavirus is caught through contact with feces, urine or saliva of infected mice - most often by inhaling contaminated air particles.
The occurrence of three cases in a short period has me worried, said Dr. Tom Boo, Mono County Public Health Officer.
We don't have a clear sense of where this young adult may have contracted the virus, said Boo.
Infections normally occur in the late spring or summer, making these three cases this early in the year strikingly unusual, said Mono County Public Health.
Collection
[
|
...
]