90-Second Read: San Quentin prison reports possible Hantavirus case

The state is investigating a potential Hantavirus case at San Quentin prison, authorities confirmed Thursday. The prison has decontaminated the inmate's housing as a precaution, and medical staff are monitoring prisoners and staff for possible symptoms. Last month, an outbreak of a Hantavirus called the Andes virus sickened passengers on a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean.

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is waiting for more lab test results, a spokesperson said. The virus can cause flu-like symptoms or a potentially lethal lung condition called Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. Two Californians who were on the cruise ship have been asymptomatic and remain under observation, according to the California Department of Public Health.

Symptoms of Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome usually develop within four days to six weeks of exposure to air contaminated by the rodent, the department said. In 2021, a coronavirus contagion swept through San Quentin, killing 28 inmates and infecting more than 2,100 inmates and 270 employees. Humans can contract the virus through exposure to infected rats, their saliva or their waste.