90-Second Read: Risk of Hantavirus low in Will, Kankakee, Kendall counties

In fact, officials at Will, Kendall or Kankakee counties have not identified any confirmed cases of Hantavirus in the last five years. Nor has Kendall County identified any recent trends or clusters of Hantavirus, said Sara Karantonis, director of community health. In Illinois, the deer mouse is the primary transmitter of Hantavirus, and people in rural areas are at the highest risk, since deer mice prefer fields and forests to "highly urbanized locations," according to the communicable disease staff at the Kankakee Health Department. Hantaviruses are a group of zoonotic viruses that infect rodents.

Furthermore, locally, no suspected cases investigated were related to the recent cruise ship outbreak. Garganera said people who think they've been exposed to Hantavirus should contact their local health department. APTOPIX Spain Hantavirus Ship Passengers are sprayed with disinfectant by Spanish government officials before boarding a plane after disembarking from the Hantavirus-stricken cruise ship MV Hondius at Tenerife airport in the Canary Islands, Spain, Sunday, May 10, 2026. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention performed confirmatory testing, which did not detect Hantavirus, IDPH said on Tuesday.

And the risk of getting Hantavirus remains very low for Illinois residents, according to IDPH. The North American strain of the Hantavirus is not spread from person to person. Still, any exposure with rodent urine and feces, in homes, campsites and workplaces, can put people at risk of contracting Hantavirus, Karantonis said. Although the local risk is low, Patel said raising awareness about Hantavirus transmission is "crucial for community health and safety," so that people understand how the virus spreads and what precautions to take.

Hantavirus may also affect the kidneys, hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, one to two weeks after exposure, Karantonis said. Unfortunately, Hantaviruses found in North America, including the Andes virus, may rapidly progress to Hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome and cause cough, shortness of breath, fluid in the lungs and shock, according to WHO. Hantavirus testing can then be done related to the place or exposure or testing on the person if symptoms occur.