Ontario County health officials are investigating a suspected case of locally acquired hantavirus in Hopewell, New York, public health officials confirmed on Thursday.
The county stated that the case is not connected to the current outbreak on the MV Hondius, a cruise ship traveling in the Atlantic Ocean operated by the Netherlands-based operator Oceanwide Expeditions.
There is no risk to the general public, the county states.
“It is not the department’s usual practice to provide a press release in this scenario, but with the current cruise ship outbreak, the influence of social media, and perceived public anxiety, I feel it is prudent to address the current investigation and reassure the community,” Ontario County Public Health Director Kate Ott said in the press release.
Here is what to know.
What is hantavirus?
According to the New York State Department of Health, hantavirus disease is caused by several different strains of hantaviruses, which are typically found in rodents around the world.
The virus typically spreads through the urine, feces or saliva of infected rodents; it can also occur through less common rodent bites, according to the World Health Organization.
How is hantavirus transmitted
Ontario County stated that human hantavirus infections in New York are uncommon, with there being only a handful of cases in the state since reporting became mandatory in 1995.
There are multiple types of hantaviruses, and those that have been found in the United States can not be transmitted from person to person. The only type of hantavirus known to be able to transmit between people is known as the Andes virus, which is the type that the WHO has confirmed to be at the center of the cruise ship outbreak.
Typically, the virus is spread through mouse and rodent droppings. The county stated that infected urine, feces and saliva can become aerosolized during cleaning, sweeping and vacuuming, which could cause human exposure.
The WHO stated that anything involving close contact with rodents, including cleaning enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces, farming, forestry work and sleeping in rodent-infested areas, can increase the exposure risk.
“This is a good opportunity to raise community awareness about using masks and other protectivegear when cleaning attics, cabins and sheds this spring,” Ontario County said in a statement on Thursday. “Wearing gloves during these activities and washing hands and clothing afterwards are great prevention strategies.”
What we know about the outbreak on the MV Hondius
The MV Hondius, a luxury cruise ship operated by Netherlands-based Oceanwide Expeditions, departed Ushuaia, Argentina, in early April and traveled through several remote locations, including Antarctica, South Georgia, Tristan da Cunha, Ascension Island and St. Helena, according to the WHO.
The current hantavirus outbreak is believed to have started from a Dutch couple aboard the ship, who had gone on a bird-watching trip through Argentina, Chile and Uruguay prior to boarding, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the WHO, said at a May 7 briefing.
The couple’s bird-watching trip included visits to sites where “the species of rat that’s known to carry hantavirus was present,” he said.
The couple has since died from their infections, USA Today reported.
There have been nine confirmed hantavirus cases and two suspected cases linked to the cruise as of Monday. One case includes an individual on Tristan Da Cunha. Three deaths have been reported since April 11.
Out of the 18 Americans who were aboard the cruise ship, which includes the three New Yorkers, 15 of them are quarantining at the University of Nebraska’s National Quarantine Center and one passenger is at the university’s biocontainment unit.
Two passengers, including one who is symptomatic, have been sent to a biocontainment unit at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, for “further assessment,” officials said at a news briefing on Monday.
One U.S. passenger has tested positive.
—Madison Scott is a New York Connect reporter, covering entertainment, breaking and consumer news, and trending topics with a focus on stories that matter to readers across New York state. She also has an interest in how the system helps or doesn’t help families with missing loved ones. She can be reached at MDScott@USATodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Ontario County investigates suspected hantavirus case
Reporting by Madison Scott, New York Connect Team / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
