Hanta virus can cause serious health issues

“Although hantavirus is rare, it can be deadly,” says Health Officer Dr. Alexander Brzezny. “By taking a few simple steps, people can protect themselves from being exposed.”

Hantavirus is spread by deer mice that carry the virus in their urine, saliva, and droppings. A person may be exposed to hantavirus by breathing in contaminated dust after disturbing or cleaning rodent droppings or nests, or by living or working in rodent-infested settings.

Each year, usually one to three people in our state become sick with hantavirus pulmonary syndrome and about one-third of those who get it die. In 2012...