90-Second Read: Hantavirus death in Colorado, not linked to cruise ship outbreak

An adult in Douglas County has died from Hantavirus, in a case that health officials say is not connected to the recent cruise ship outbreak. Only Colorado and New Mexico have reported more than 100 confirmed cases of Hantavirus since 1993. From 1993 through 2023, there were 121 Hantavirus cases in Colorado reported to the CDC.

It appears the Douglas County infection came from local exposure to rodents, based on preliminary evidence, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment said. This is the most common way in which Hantavirus is spread. No additional information was released about the person who died, but the state said the case is not linked to the outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship.

Hantavirus infections caused by the Sin Nombre Hantavirus occur regularly in Colorado, usually in the spring and summer, and can cause a severe and sometimes deadly respiratory disease. The deer mouse is the most common species that exposes people in Colorado to the virus, according to the state. The state and county health departments are conducting an investigation.