Overview

• A concessions employee working at the park’s mule pens developed hantavirus symptoms on June 20, was treated at Flagstaff Medical Center and is now recovering at home.
• A bat collected near River Mile 143 along the Colorado River tested positive for rabies, and two people who handled the animal received post-exposure prophylaxis.
• The National Park Service has begun intensive rodent cleanup operations, including sealing entry points and distributing specialized cleanup kits to staff.
• Coconino County Health Services, the CDC and park wildlife experts are coordinating active monitoring of rodent and bat populations to detect further infections.
• This marks Grand Canyon’s first confirmed hantavirus case since 2016 and follows a regional surge with five Arizona infections and two fatalities recorded in 2025.