90-Second Read: SnoCo health officials: Hantavirus risk ‘extremely low’ to general public

There are currently no known Hantavirus exposures or recent cases in Snohomish County, Health Officer Dr. Cotten photo.) EVERETT, The risk of Hantavirus is extremely low to the general public, Snohomish County Health Officer Dr. On Tuesday, Public Health, Seattle and King County announced that three King County residents were potentially exposed to the type of Hantavirus responsible for the outbreak.

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, May 13, 2026 Hantavirus exposure may occur if a person breathes in contaminated dust after disturbing or cleaning rodent droppings or nests. The virus has gained attention in recent weeks after the World Health Organization declared an outbreak stemming from a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean. There are no cases of the virus in King County and the risk to the public remains low, the health department wrote in its announcement.

Only the Andes Hantavirus, the type found on the cruise ship, is known to spread from person to person, which is even rarer than transmission from animal to person, officials said. In the western U.S., the main carrier of Hantavirus is the deer mouse. Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience.