Arizona Is Ground Zero For A New Viral Outbreak

We're tired of viral outbreaks, right? After the slog through Covid-19 in the early 20s, the last thing we need is another unknown disease to spread through the United States.

While still early, a new disease has made its way into Arizona, and officials have started to worry.

What is Hantavirus?

Hantavirus is a fatal respiratory disease spread from rodents to humans. First discovered in 1993 on the border of Arizona and New Mexico, the disease was noted to have an 80% fatality rate at the time. While progress has been made in slowing the spread, there is still no vaccine to cure the disease.

Symptoms include fatigue, fever, muscle aching, and nausea. If left alone, the disease will make its way to the lungs, which causes shortness of breath and coughing. 38% of patients who developed lung symptoms did not survive.

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How to Protect Yourself from Hantavirus

The disease is transferred by particles from deer mouse saliva, urine, or excrement go airborne after being agitated. Because of this, the easiest way to protect yourself is to avoid deer mice and quickly dispose of anything they leave behind.

This can become dangerous when cleaning out barns and sheds after the winter, as the disease will have time to fester and ferment in the closed space, hitting you at 100% when you finally make it to cleaning time.

If you believe you may have to come in contact with deer mice or a place they have been, wear a mask, shoe covers, gloves, and coveralls to protect yourself and those around you.

[NBC]