90-Second Read: Health expert addresses Hantavirus concerns, says South Texas risk remains extremely low

Fergie said the strain of Hantavirus most commonly found in the United States is concentrated in the Southwest, primarily Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah, and is extremely rare in Texas. It's extremely uncommon and it's not an issue for us here in South Texas. A South Texas infectious disease expert is addressing public concerns about Hantavirus, saying the virus is not new and poses little to no risk for people in the region. This Hantaviruses have existed for a very long time, decades and decades we know about this virus.

Unlike COVID-19, Fergie explained, the strain of Hantavirus found in the United States is not transmitted person to person. Fergie said that particular strain can spread person to person, but only through prolonged contact in confined settings, like the cruise ship where the cases originated. Fergie said the public should not let health concerns stop them from enjoying summer plans, including trips to national parks or cruises. Is transmitted from the excrements of the rodents of the urine but not person to person.

One of the misconception is the idea that this is new and it's not new. It spreads through contact with the urine or excrement of infected rodents. Fergie said authorities in the United States and around the world have been tracking everyone who was aboard that ship, and no new infections have been reported outside of that group. Be sure that your children are fully vaccinated, that you are as an adult also you have received the vaccines because you can be in contact with a lot of people and you can prevent many illnesses.

The one that everybody's talking about is the one associated with that cruise ship in Argentina and in that type of virus called the Andes virus or the junta virus category can be transmitted person to person but requires prolonged contact. This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI.