Two People in New Mexico Have Died From Hantavirus This Year

At least two people in New Mexico have died from a rare but dangerous form of hantavirus infection so far in 2023, local health officials reported this week. Four other residents have been hospitalized, though they ultimately survived. These viruses are primarily contracted through exposure to rodents, including their urine, and are not typically contagious between people.

There are dozens of known hantavirus species, which are broadly divided into those found in the western or eastern hemisphere (“New World” and “Old World” hantaviruses). Most of these are native to rodents and aren’t thought to make them sick. But some hantaviruses can cross over and infect humans, potentially causing life-threatening illness.

New World hantaviruses can cause a severe respiratory condition known as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, or HPS (Old World hantaviruses are more likely to cause a condition called hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, with symptoms similar to Ebola infection). There are no specific treatments for HPS and its mortality rate in the U.S. is around 35%.

On Wednesday, the New Mexico Department of Health reported that six residents have been diagnosed with HPS to date in 2023. Two have died, while four ended up in the hospital needing oxygen or intensive care to survive their ordeal. The current tally is above the historical average seen in the state, with New Mexico typically reporting three to four cases a year.

Hantaviruses can sometimes be transmitted through rodent bites. But more often, it’s caught from breathing in fresh poop and urine particles that have been kicked up in the air or from touching their droppings/urine directly. Only one species of hantavirus—the Andes virus—has ever been shown to be transmitted from person to person, but this virus is more often found in South America. The main carrier of hantavirus in New Mexico is the deer mouse, and the most common germ behind human cases in the U.S. is called the Sin Nombre virus.

The first known cases of HPS in the U.S. were discovered in the early 1990s. And though the rodents that carry potentially dangerous hantaviruses have been found throughout the country, serious infections remain very rare. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 850 cases of hantavirus disease in the U.S. have been documented between 1993 to 2021, including some non-HPS cases.

Still, these infections are more common in southwestern states like New Mexico, which was one of the four states where the first known outbreaks of HPS occurred. And people in these areas can take precautions to avoid the risk of catching hantavirus, health officials say.

“Everyone in New Mexico should learn about hantavirus infections and take the necessary steps to minimize possible exposures,” said Chad Smelser, a deputy state epidemiologist, in a statement released by the New Mexico Department of Health. “The key to preventing infections is to avoid exposure to rodents and their nests.”

These steps include sealing up homes to prevent rodent infestations, getting rid of nearby trash or junk piles that might entice rodents to set up camp, airing out buildings or vehicles that haven’t been visited for a while, and soaking discovered rodent nests and droppings with disinfectant before you attempt to clean them up.

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