Hantavirus causes death in Kanawha County
September 6, 2012 ·
Health officials in Kanawha County are confirming a death caused by hantavirus.
There is no cure for
hantavirus. People can be infected by inhaling the virus or by handling
infected rodents. Infected people usually have flu-like symptoms including
fever, shortness of breath, chills and muscle and body aches. Dr. Rahul Goopta
of the Kanawha Charleston health department said people don’t need to panic.
“For the people do
not need to freak out, this is not something that is a common disease, this is
a rare disease, as I’ve said we’ve had just a handful of cases in the last 20
something years,’ Goopta said.
The person contracted
the hantavirus while at Yosemite National Park. It is the 8th case
of the virus nationally and the third resulting in death. No other details were
released.