“It is one of the forms of presentation that the hanta has. The state of health can change very quickly. Some cases allow time for treatments and others, unfortunately not,” the doctor told the site. ANB.
The fatal victim of this rodent-transmitted virus lived alone and apparently did not have a close relationship with family or friends, which makes it difficult to determine where he could have contracted the disease and if there are other possible positive cases so He activated the protocol with all the people who would have had contact with him.
“There was not much option for dialogue due to his state of health, although we have epidemiological evidence from areas in which infected rodents were detected in 1996,” said Parodi.
At the moment there are nine people in isolation, who could have had contact with the man, and Health is monitoring the evolution of those involved to determine how to continue.
Third case of hantavirus of 2024
This is the third case of hantavirus that has occurred in Bariloche so far this year, although the other two evolved favorably and were discharged. In addition, there were two other fatal cases from El Bolsón, who died in the local hospital.
Although hantavirus is related to spring or autumn weather, Parodi stressed that it cannot be limited to one season of the year. “In cold times, it is normal for rodents to look for places to take shelter or eat and that is why they can enter houses or sheds,” he warned.
In any case, the doctor also highlighted that the average number of cases is much lower than the flu or complicated respiratory conditions that occur in winter, which is why he stressed the importance of people over 65 years of age getting vaccinated against flu and consult a doctor in case of severe or persistent symptoms.
Hantavirus symptoms and prevention
Hantavirus is contracted by inhaling virus particles that come from rodent excrement, which is why it is considered a zoonosis – a disease transmitted to humans through animals – like leptospirosis and psittacosis.
At first it begins as a flu-like syndrome, with fever, asthenia, myalgia, headache, cough and vomiting, and in a few days it evolves with notable respiratory difficulty. Therefore, they recommend that people in contact with rodents who develop a febrile or respiratory illness within 45 days of the last potential exposure should seek immediate attention and inform the doctor of the possible risk of infection.
Prevention of the disease consists of environmental hygiene, preventing the accumulation of garbage. The main measures to consider include: reducing the availability of food and nesting sources used by rodents inside the house and keeping food covered and stored in metal or thick plastic containers with tightly fitting lids.
Likewise, before cleaning environments where there may be rats, the place should be ventilated, sprayed with bleach to inactivate any virus that was present, and then cleaned by washing.
Finally, sweeping must be avoided to avoid stirring up dust and generating aerosols that may have particles of the virus, and thus contract it through inhalation. It is recommended to seal all openings in the home that have a diameter greater than or equal to half a centimeter.
