Hantavirus in the headlines: What it means for Park City and the Wasatch Back

Three Utah residents are in federal quarantine after exposure to hantavirus on an international cruise. State and local health officials say the broader public risk is minimal — but spring cleanup season is a reminder of the everyday rodent-borne risk closer to home. Photo: Zdeněk Macháček

SUMMIT COUNTY, Utah —A hantavirus outbreak on an international cruise ship has put three Utah residents into federal quarantine and prompted state and local public health officials to remind residents about a separate, more familiar risk closer to home: rodents in cabins, sheds, and outbuildings.

The Utahns are among 18 people transported from the cruise ship to the United States on Sunday. Nearly 150 people from 23 countries were exposed during the voyage, which departed Argentina in early April. The World Health Organization has tied eight cases and three deaths to the outbreak.

State officials say the risk to the general public remains minimal. “We understand the concern about this virus and take our responsibility to protect public health seriously,” Utah Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner Tracy Gruber said. “We want to reassure Utahns that while the risk to the public is minimal, DHHS is coordinating closely with our local health departments, the CDC, and the passengers to take the necessary steps to prevent risk to others.”

The U.S. passengers will remain at a federally monitored facility and will only return to their home states when it is determined safe. Once back in Utah, they are expected to monitor symptoms daily for at least six weeks and isolate if symptoms develop.

The cruise outbreak involves Andes hantavirus, the only strain known to spread person-to-person in limited circumstances. It typically requires close contact with someone who is actively sick, is not known to spread through casual contact such as shaking hands or being in the same room for a few minutes, and there have been no documented cases of spread from a person without symptoms. Documented person-to-person spread has been associated with the Andes virus in South America and has required very close, prolonged contact.

“I am concerned about the individuals exposed to this virus on the cruise ship, but I don’t have concerns about an infection spreading widely,” Utah State Epidemiologist Dr. Leisha Nolen said. “While we are learning more about the Andes strain and how it is transmitted, we understand how to stop it from spreading.”

The more relevant question for Park City and Summit County is the everyday hantavirus risk that already lives in the Mountain West. According to the Summit County Health Department, residents should avoid contact with rodents and their droppings whenever possible; seal up holes or gaps where rodents may enter homes or buildings; never sweep or vacuum rodent droppings, as this can stir virus particles into the air; ventilate the area, wear gloves, spray droppings with a disinfectant or bleach solution and carefully wipe up materials with paper towels; and wash hands thoroughly after cleanup.

More information is available at summitcountyhealth.org. CDC cleanup guidance is at cdc.gov/hantavirus.