Hantavirus outbreak in California town kills 3: What you need to know about the rare virus

Three deaths in quick succession from hantavirus in the rural California town of Mammoth Lakes have raised alarm bells among health authorities. The same virus had killed Betsy Arakawa, the wife of famed actor Gene Hackman in February this year.

“The occurrence of three cases in a short period has me worried, especially this early in the year,” Dr. Tom Boo, a county public health officer, said in a statement.

In the case of third death, no mouse activity in the deceased person's house has been reported, and the health authorities are yet to understand how the young adult got infected.

"We observed some mice in the workplace, which is not unusual for indoor spaces this time of year in Mammoth Lakes. We haven't identified any other activities in the weeks before illness that would have increased this person's exposure to mice or their droppings," Boo said.

The unusual trend
Mono County has recorded 27 cases of hantavirus since it was first reported here in 1993. The virus usually strikes in summer or late spring. The three early cases are unusually early as per the trend.

Though rare, hantavirus is found throughout the world and spreads through rodents from their urine or feces. The virus can cause life-threatening lung infection called hantavirus pulmonary syndrome and may lead to death in some cases, as per the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The incubation period of the virus is 2-3 weeks but can also range from 1-7 weeks in some cases.
Symptoms
The virus initially causes flu-like symptoms such as fatigue, fever, muscle aches and sore throat but may progress to shortness of breath and severe lung infection. Shortness of breath shouldn't be taken lightly and must be addressed immediately. If not treated, this can result in death in a day or two.

Low blood pressure, lack of blood flow (acute shock), internal bleeding (vascular leakage), and acute kidney failure, are some of the other complications observed in hantavirus patients.

There is no specific treatment for hantavirus and patients should receive supportive care, including rest, hydration, and treatment of symptoms, as per CDC.

The virus can also disrupt kidney function and patients may need dialysis to remove toxins from the blood and maintain the right balance of fluids in the body when the kidneys aren't working well.