Overview
- Prison officials first treated a 38-year-old inmate’s illness as a possible hantavirus case after a commercial lab reported a positive antibody test and the patient was monitored in stable condition.
- The California Department of Public Health ran PCR tests on a new sample that returned negative and concluded the initial result was a false positive, with the CDC set to repeat specialized testing.
- San Quentin decontaminated the affected housing area and medical staff checked inmates and staff for symptoms while no quarantine was ordered and no other suspected cases were identified.
- Coverage noted the recent MV Hondius outbreak involved a rare Andes strain that can spread between people after prolonged contact but California cases are usually from rodent exposure to Sin Nombre virus.
- Health officials stressed hantavirus is rare, can cause severe lung failure and has no vaccine or specific antiviral, so responses focus on testing, isolation of suspected cases, supportive care and environmental rodent control.