3 Mice Test Positive For Hantavirus In San Diego County

SAN DIEGO COUNTY, CA – Three deer mice collected during routine monitoring in the Boulevard area tested positive for the potentially deadly hantavirus, San Diego County Vector Control said this week.

As the season's spring-cleaning approaches, health experts noted that, while hantavirus is not uncommon in wild mice throughout the county, there are steps residents can take to protect themselves if they find wild rodents living in their homes, sheds and garages.

Specifically, officials said people should remember to never sweep up or vacuum rodent nests or droppings. Instead, people should use “wet-cleaning” methods if they must clean up after rodents: wearing gloves; spraying dead rodents, droppings, nests and surrounding areas with bleach solutions; cleaning with sponges and mops; and double-bagging and sealing up debris.

Wild rodents, particularly mice, are the main carriers of hantavirus that can cause deadly infections in people and for which there is no vaccine or cure. Exposure risks can be minimal, however, as wild rodents usually live in undeveloped areas and do not typically live in the same spaces as humans, the department said.

But to keep folks on the safe side, county officials offered the following tips to prevent hantavirus exposure and how to use “wet cleaning” methods.

Avoid Exposure to Hantavirus:

• Seal up all external holes, larger than a dime, in homes, garages and sheds to keep out rodents.
• Eliminate rodent infestations immediately.
• Avoid rodent-infested areas, and do not stir up dust or materials that may be contaminated with rodent droppings and urine.
• Clean up rodent droppings and urine using the wet-cleaning method described below.

Use “Wet-cleaning” Methods to Prevent Inhaling the Virus:

• Do not sweep or vacuum infested areas.
• Ventilate affected area by opening doors and windows for at least 30 minutes.
• Use rubber gloves. Spray a 10-percent bleach solution or other disinfectants onto dead rodents, rodent droppings, nests, contaminated traps and surrounding areas and let the disinfectant stand for at least 15 minutes before cleaning.
• Clean with a sponge or a mop.
• Place disinfected rodents and debris into two plastic bags, seal them and discard in the trash.
• Wash gloves in a bleach solution, then soap and water, and dispose of them using the same double-bag method.
• Thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water.

For more information, contact the County Department of Environmental Health (DEH) at (858) 694-2888 or visit the DEH hantavirus web page.

• ALSO SEE: Mall Carjack Suspect: Sketch Released & Reward Offered