A third person has died from Hantavirus. The Charleston Health Department reports a resident of West Virginia got sick after staying in Yosemite National Park. The other two victims were from California and Pennsylvania. Since the first reported death three weeks ago, a total of eight people have gotten sick. Five are recovering.
Seven of the eight people who got sick stayed in the signature tent cabins at Yosemite's Curry Village. All 91 cabins there have been closed indefinitely and health officials are studying the area.
About 3,000 people who stayed in those cabins from June 10th to August 14th have been contacted by the park. Every visitor coming into Yosemite is given information about Hantavirus. It's carried by deer mice and contracted when you breathe in droppings or urine.
The Fresno County Health Department says if you've been to Yosemite and start feeling sick, see a doctor immediately.
"It's so important getting the word out. If you've been in that area where we're concerned about this Hantavirus exposure, if you get flu-like symptoms, it's important to notify your medical providers," said David Luchini of the Fresno County Health Department.
There is no cure for the virus, but you're better off getting treatment early, before the flu-like symptoms progress into difficulty breathing. Since 1993, when Hantavirus became known, no one in Fresno County has gotten sick.
