90-Second Read: Sin nombre Hantavirus strain still focus for Southwest tribes despite Andes strain

In 1993, the Sin Nombre strain of Hantavirus was named. Once again Hantavirus has made international headlines, after an outbreak of the Andes strain among passengers on a cruise ship traveling from Cape Verde to the Canary Islands, two islands off the coast of northwest Africa. The World Health Organization reported that the Andes strain was contracted on land and brought onto the ship, where several other passengers were exposed.

For the last three decades, the Navajo Nation has worked diligently to inform the community of how Hantavirus is spread, and how to mitigate transmission. It's the only known strain of Hantavirus that can be transmitted person-to-person. The first case of the Sin Nombre strain was confirmed in March, the patient from Santa Fe County was hospitalized and has since recovered.

The Andes virus is the only type of Hantavirus that is known to spread person-to-person. Not only in terms of what the public is already aware of about Hantavirus, this is a disease they have been hearing about for many years, they understand transmission mechanisms, and the steps that need to be taken to mitigate risk. The 39 other strains can only be transmitted from mice to humans.