90-Second Read: Hantavirus reported in Chelan County, WA, unrelated to cruise ship outbreak

Another case of Hantavirus has been reported in Washington, this time in Chelan County, and health officials note it has no connection to the cruise ship outbreak in early May. The Chelan-Douglas Health District on Friday confirmed a single case of the 'Sin Nombre' strain of Hantavirus. Importantly, it is unrelated to the outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship, and is also a different strain.

People on the MV Hondius cruise ship were exposed to Andes Hantavirus, which is transmissible from human-to-human. Sin Nombre Hantavirus is transmissible only from rodents to humans. Hantavirus infections are rare, but they can be severe.

It causes diseases like Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). According to the CDC, Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome affects the lungs, leading to fatigue, fever and muscle aches, eventually escalating into coughing, shortness of breath, and possible tightness in the chest caused by the lungs filling with fluid. The CDC says 38% of people who develop respiratory symptoms may die from the disease.