Suspected hantavirus case under investigation in upstate New York

Ontario County Public Health Department officials in Canandaigua said Thursday they are investigating a suspected locally acquired hantavirus case.

The department posted on Facebook that the case has no connection to the outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship and that there is no risk to the general public.

The investigation comes as health authorities track a separate hantavirus outbreak tied to the luxury cruise ship that has sickened passengers and crew and killed three people.

As of May 13, the World Health Organization reported 11 cases linked to the cruise, including eight confirmed, two probable and one inconclusive. Three deaths have been associated with the outbreak.

Hantavirus infections remain rare in New York, the department said. The virus spreads through mouse and rodent droppings, especially when urine, feces or nesting materials become airborne during cleaning.

Officials urged residents to wear gloves and masks when cleaning attics, cabins, sheds and garages where rodents may be present.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the county health department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The cruise ship outbreak began after the MV Hondius, carrying 147 passengers and crew, left Argentina on April 1 for a South Atlantic voyage. Investigators believe the first infection may have come from rodent exposure during birdwatching excursions before boarding.