90-Second Read: Colorado adult dies from Hantavirus, but case not linked to cruise ship

The state health agency said in a statement that "the risk to the general public remains low." The CDC had said last week that there were no cases of Hantavirus in the United States, as health officials have widely urged Americans to remain calm about the virus. The outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship led to 11 cases of Hantavirus aboard the ship, of which eight were confirmed, one was inconclusive and two were probable. The major concern regarding the outbreak on the cruise ship was the fact that World Health Organization experts suspected the virus was spread through human-to-human transmission, which had not been previously seen with Hantavirus. One person in Colorado has died from a Hantavirus exposure from a local rodent, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment said.

The rare Andes strain, which is the strain that affected the cruise ship, is the only strain that had shown evidence of human-to-human spread, though it typically takes extremely close contact with an affected individual. Hantavirus, which typically spreads from rodents like mice and rats, can cause illnesses that can result in low blood pressure, low oxygen levels, and death by organ failure if they are left untreated. Both the Andes and Sin Nombre strain of the Hantavirus have high mortality rates, with death in about 30% to 50% of cases. Passengers were suspected to have contracted the virus during an excursion in Argentina.

The strain found in Colorado was the Sin Nombre strain of the virus, which has not shown evidence of human-to-human transmission. Avoiding exposure to rodents and their urine, feces, saliva, and nesting materials is the best way to prevent infection. All of the remaining passengers who were aboard the MV Hondius disembarked in the Canary Islands, with the 18 Americans aboard quarantining either at the University of Nebraska Medical Center or Emory University in Atlanta. 15 are asymptomatic, while one has tested positive and one is showing symptoms.