Deadly Hantavirus Found In 2 Mice In San Diego County

SAN DIEGO, CA — Two mice have tested positive for the potentially deadly hantavirus at a campground in San Diego County, health officials announced Monday.

The mice were collected from a campground trail at San Onofre State Beach as part of ongoing surveillance, according to the County Environmental Health and Quality Department. The county's vector control team was working with campground officials to notify campground staff and visitors.

Finding hantavirus in wild rodents is not uncommon in the county, health officials said. These were the 19th and 20th findings in mice this year in the San Diego region.

However, people rarely come into direct contact with infected animals because wild rodents naturally avoid humans. While exposure to hantavirus is rare, officials warned people should be careful around wild rodents because there is no cure or vaccine for hantavirus.

Symptoms of hantavirus usually develop between one to eight weeks after exposure. Symptoms include severe muscle aches; chills, fever or fatigue; headache or dizziness; nausea, vomiting or stomach pain; and difficulty breathing.

Anyone who thinks they may have been exposed to hantavirus should seek medical attention immediately, officials said.