90-Second Read: Hantavirus exposure confirmed north and south of Stockton

California health officials have confirmed four residents were recently exposed to the Andes strain of the Hantavirus in two regions that sit on either side of Stockton and the greater San Joaquin County corridor. The strain at the center of the outbreak has been confirmed as the Andes virus, which is believed to spread person-to-person, according to the World Health Organization. The WHO has said it believes the Hantavirus outbreak stemmed from a Dutch couple on board the MV Hondius who both later died from their infections. For local updates, residents can monitor San Joaquin County Public Health.

Pan noted that the Sacramento County resident was briefly exposed to the virus by a passenger from the ship while traveling on an aircraft in South Africa. Pan noted that although these two Californians were exposed to the Hantavirus, they were allowed to return to California since neither resident was showing symptomatic behaviors. Hantavirus typically spreads through contact with the urine, feces or saliva of infected rodents, and human-to-human transmission is uncommon. The two affected regions are Santa Clara and Sacramento counties, where many local residents routinely travel, commute or have family ties.

California officials did not release the counties of origin of these two people being quarantined. The other two people exposed to the virus are being monitored by Santa Clara and Sacramento counties' public health departments, Pan said. Symptoms typically appear between two and four weeks after initial exposure. Since its departure, three people, a Dutch couple and a German national, have died in the outbreak, according to health officials.

The resident sat within two seats of an ill patient for at least 15 minutes, according to Pan. The resident has since returned to Sacramento County and is being monitored for symptoms. Maria Van Kerkhove, director of WHO's department of epidemic and pandemic management, said at a May 5 briefing that the MV Hondius also stopped at many islands up the coast of Africa where others may have come in contact with the virus.