Kansas Environmental Health Association

Updated: September 17, 2012

Highlights

As of September 13, the National Park Service (NPS) has announced a total of 9 confirmed cases of hantavirus infection in people who recently visited Yosemite National Park. The visitors to Yosemite are residents of: California (7), Pennsylvania (1), and West Virginia (1).

Three of the confirmed cases were fatal.

NPS public health officials believe that 8 of the 9 people with confirmed hantavirus infection were exposed to the virus while staying at the Signature Tent Cabins in Curry Village in Yosemite National Park. The other park visitor with hantavirus infection was probably exposed to the virus while hiking or staying at the High Sierra Camps, located about 15 miles from Curry Village. The park is contacting visitors who stayed in the Signature Tent Cabins from mid-June through the end of August, advising them to seek immediate medical attention if they exhibit symptoms of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), a rare but serious illness caused by hantavirus.

The park is also providing information about HPS risks and symptoms to visitors who stayed at the High Sierra Camps this summer.

On September 12, the park sent an additional notification on HPS to all overnight visitors to the park.

CDC and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) are working with NPS in responding to the situation. The Signature Tent Cabins in Curry Village have been closed.

CDC is supporting the NPS response with testing of patient samples for evidence of hantavirus infection, providing guidance on clinical management of HPS and epidemiologic support for the response, and maintaining a Hantavirus Hotline for public inquiries.

The park is providing educational materials about hantavirus and HPS to all visitors to the park.

Contact Information

CDC-INFO (1-800-CDC-INFO) provides information about hantavirus and HPS to callers in the United States.

CDC maintains a Hantavirus Hotline (877-232-3322 and 404-639-1510) and information about HPS on the Hantavirus website.

At a Glance:

Case Count: 9

Deaths: 3

FAQ: U.S. Visitors to Yosemite

FAQ: Non-U.S. Visitors to Yosemite

Related Links

National Park Service (NPS): Hantavirus in Yosemite

California Department of Public Health (CDPH)

Case Count (State of Residence) Map

Click map to view updated & previous case count maps.

Epi Curve

Click graph to view updated & previous epi curve graphs.

September 13, 2012

Case Count Update

The National Park Service (NPS) has announced that there are now 9 confirmed cases (including 3 deaths) of hantavirus infection in visitors to Yosemite National Park since June of this year. Eight of the nine individuals with hantavirus infection stayed in Yosemite's Signature Tent Cabins in Curry Village. The ninth person hiked and camped in Tuolumne Meadows and the High Sierra Camps, located about 15 miles from Curry Village.

Update: Hantavirus in Yosemite

From the National Park Service (NPS) website.

September 6, 2012

Case Count Update

The National Park Service (NPS) has announced that there are now 8 confirmed cases (including 3 deaths) of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) in visitors to Yosemite National Park. Seven of the people with HPS stayed at Curry Village in Yosemite National Park since June of this year. The eighth person hiked and camped in Tuolumne Meadows and the High Sierra Camps, located about 15 miles from Curry Village.

The park is now providing information regarding HPS risks and symptoms to parties who made reservations at the High Sierra Camps this summer.

Update: Yosemite National Park Continues Response to Hantavirus Case

From the National Park Service (NPS) website.

August 31, 2012

CDC Health Advisory

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a national health advisory, Notice to Health Care Providers: Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome Cases Associated with Staying in Yosemite National Park, California. The purpose of this this advisory, which was distributed through CDC's Health Alert Network, is to inform state health departments and health care providers to be alert to the possibility of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome in patients who may have had recent exposure to rodents or a history of travel to Yosemite National Park during June through August 2012.

Notice to Health Care Providers: Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome Cases Associated with Staying in Yosemite National Park, California

From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.

August 31, 2012

Case Count Update

Yosemite National Park announced that it continues to scale up its public health response and outreach as a result of 6 confirmed cases of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome in individuals who visited the since June of this year.

Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome Response Continues at Yosemite National Park (August 31, 2012)

From the National Park Service (NPS) website.

August 30, 2012

Case Count Update

The National Park Service (NPS) has announced there are now 6 confirmed cases of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) in visitors who stayed at Curry Village in Yosemite National Park since June of this year.

Hantavirus Found in Four More Visitors to Yosemite National Park

From the National Park Service (NPS) website.

August 29, 2012

Initial CDC Announcement

On August 27, 2012, the National Park Service (NPS) announced that there were 3 confirmed cases and 1 probable case of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) in visitors who stayed at Curry Village in Yosemite National Park since June of this year. NPS public health officials believe that these visitors may have been exposed to hantavirus while staying at the Signature Tent Cabins in Curry Village. Two people have died. CDC and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) are working with NPS in responding to the situation.

The park is contacting visitors who stayed in the Signature Tent Cabins from mid-June through the end of August, advising them to seek immediate medical attention if they exhibit symptoms of HPS. HPS is a rare but serious disease and confirmed cases should be reported to CDC via state health departments.

CDPH and Yosemite National Park public health officials are conducting rodent surveys for the purpose of monitoring the numbers (abundance of) deer mice and hantavirus activity in the park's mouse populations. They are also providing health education and prevention messages to the public.

The Yosemite National Park has a non-emergency phone line (209-372-0822) for questions and concerns related to hantavirus in Yosemite National Park. Furthermore, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a hotline number (404-639-1510) and information about HPS on the Hantavirus webpage.

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Viral Special Pathogens Branch

1600 Clifton Rd

Atlanta, GA 30333

Hantavirus Hotline

(877) 232-3322

(404) 639-1510

800-CDC-INFO

(800-232-4636)

TTY: (888) 232-6348

cdcinfo@cdc.gov

About VSPB (Viral Special Pathogens Branch)

Page last reviewed: September 17, 2012