YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, Calif. (AP) — The National Park Service says a ninth visitor to Yosemite National Park has been infected with the rodent-borne illness hantavirus.
Park officials announced the ninth case Thursday and said the unidentified person has recovered. Eight other visitors to the park have contracted the illness. Three of them died.
The majority of the cases involved guests at the insulated “Signature” cabins in the park’s historic Curry Village section. It wasn’t immediately clear where the ninth person stayed.
The disease is carried in the feces, urine and saliva of deer mice and other rodents, and carried on airborne particles and dust.
People can be infected by inhaling the virus or by handling infected rodents. Infected people usually have flu-like symptoms including fever, shortness of breath, chills and muscle and body aches.
