90-Second Read: Four Californians monitored for rare but potentially deadly Hantavirus

Four Californians are being monitored for Hantavirus, a rare but potentially deadly virus spread to humans through contact with infected rodents.Hantavirus is m SHASTA COUNTY, Calif. Even without confirmed local cases, data from the California Department of Public Health shows parts of Shasta and Tehama counties fall within areas where deer mice have tested positive for the Sin Nombre virus, the strain linked to Hantavirus in California. Shasta County has no reported cases of Hantavirus," the agency said in a statement. Hantavirus is most commonly transmitted by breathing in particles from rodent urine, droppings or saliva. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), fewer than 30 cases are reported nationwide each year.

Since monitoring began in 1993, there have been 857 reported cases in the United States, with about one-third ending in death. Since 1980, 93 California residents have been diagnosed with Hantavirus. In the Northstate, Modoc County has reported one case between 1980 and 2024. Plumas County has reported three cases, and Sierra County has reported two. We see them in different areas, particularly mountainous regions.

It is here, we've heard over the years about different sorts of cases that have happened, and that people need to be aware of the risk," said Kimberly Hernandez, Kern County Public Health Department division director. The Shasta County Health and Human Services Agency said it continues to monitor the situation. Staff are staying updated, and the risk remains extremely low." There is no vaccine for Hantavirus. Health officials recommend using traps around homes to help keep rodents out.