90-Second Read: Potential Hantavirus case in Illinois. Officials reveal the details

Illinois health officials announced Tuesday that they are investigating a potential Hantavirus case, adding that the risk of transmission remains "very low" for residents. The Illinois Department of Public Health said in a statement that it is investigating a potential Hantavirus case that is not linked to the cruise ship outbreak. An IDPH spokesperson told the Journal Star that the risk for Illinois residents is "currently very low." "The (IDPH) has not been notified of any Illinois residents being passengers on the MV Hondius during the Hantavirus outbreak. The deadly virus was discovered at the center of an outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship, leading to 11 cases and three deaths worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. Hantaviruses are a class of viruses that originate from wild rodents.

The most recently identified Hantavirus can affect the lungs, causing an illness called Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). Hantavirus is typically transmitted to humans through contact with infected rodents, according to the IDPH. The CDC reported that the type of Hantavirus responsible for the outbreak on the cruise ship is the Andes virus, the only type of Hantavirus shown to spread from person to person. While the viruses do not produce disease in rodents, they can cause illness in humans. This could be in the form of breathing dust contaminated by the rodent's urine, saliva or feces, ingesting food or water tainted by the rodent or having contaminated material make its way into broken skin or a mucous membrane.

The center confirmed that human-to-human spread of the Andes virus remains rare but can be accomplished through close, prolonged contact with a symptomatic person. The department said the impacted individual in Illinois lives in Winnebago County and is believed to have contracted the virus while cleaning a home where rodent droppings were present. Unlike the Andes virus discovered on the cruise, the Illinois resident is believed to have a North American strain that is not known to spread from person to person. The CDC is currently conducting additional testing to confirm whether the individual is positive for Hantavirus, according to the IDPH. This could be in the form of direct physical contact, prolonged time in a close or enclosed space or exposure to the infected person's body fluids through kissing.

In rare cases, humans can also be bitten by an infected rodent. The CDC said the test results could take up to 10 days. The IDPH said the resident "has not travelled internationally and has not come in contact with individuals associated with the MV Hondius outbreak." They also are not seriously ill and recovered after experiencing mild symptoms. CONTRIBUTING: Melina Khan and Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY