Colorado Reports Hantavirus Death, Officials Say It’s Separate from Cruise Ship Outbreak

Health officials in Colorado confirmed that an adult in Douglas County has died from hantavirus, but they stress the case has nothing to do with the recent outbreak on a cruise ship. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment says early evidence points to local rodent exposure as the cause, which is the typical way people contract the virus. The deer mouse is the main carrier in the state. The risk to the general public remains low, according to CDPHE, which is investigating alongside county health workers. No further details about the victim have been released. Hantavirus infections caused by the Sin Nombre strain show up in Colorado every spring and summer, often leading to severe respiratory illness. Since 1993, only Colorado and New Mexico have logged more than 100 confirmed cases each. Dr. Carrie Horn, chief medical officer at National Jewish Health, advises caution but not panic. She notes that unlike the illness on the MV Hondius, this strain does not spread from person to person. To stay safe, CDPHE recommends avoiding contact with rodents and their droppings. Never sweep or vacuum rodent waste; instead, spray it with bleach, wear gloves, and clean carefully. Between 1993 and 2023, Colorado reported 121 hantavirus cases to the CDC, with 76 deaths.