United Kingdom
United States
Asia Pacific
Black death and hantavirus spread fear through US camping zones
A third person who had traveled to Yosemite National Park and contracted hantavirus has died, the BBC and AP reported yesterday.
The news comes as other rodent-borne disease stories flood in from western parts of the US where camping zones are prevalent.
Seven-year-old Sierra Jane Downing was brought to a Colorado emergency room last week suffering from a high fever and seizures days after camping. Downing was diagnosed with bubonic plague (also known as the black plague) which she may have caught from close contact with a dead squirrel. Bubonic plague is transmitted via flea bites or direct contact with infected animals.
The story happened just as Yosemite National Park put out an APB for travelers who may have had contact with hantavirus at the Park’s Signature Tent Curry Village.
Many western states are now publishing hantavirus and plague information pages. New Mexico’s Health Department’s site, which reported two in-state fatal cases of hantavirus in 2008 says:
To protect yourself from Hantavirus:
- Air out closed up buildings before entering.
- Seal up homes and cabins so mice can’t enter.
- Trap mice until they are all gone.
- Clean up nests and droppings using a disinfectant.
- Put hay, wood and compost piles as far as possible from your home.
- Get rid of trash and junk piles.
- Don’t leave your pet’s food and water where mice can get to them.
To prevent cases of plague, the Department of Health recommends:
- Avoid sick or dead rodents.
- Teach children not to play near rodent nests or burrows.
- Treat pets regularly with an effective flea control product.
- Clean up areas near the house where rodents could live.
- Keep pets from roaming and hunting.
- Take sick pets to a veterinarian promptly
Gretchen Kelly
Kittipong Prapattong’s Plan for Thailand’s Tourism Growth: Taxes, Visas, and Campaigns
James Jin: Didatravel’s Journey from China to Global Reach and the Impact of AI on Travel
Darien Schaefer on Pensacola’s Evolution: From Small Town to Global Destination
Florida Tourism’s Next Frontier: Dana Young on Expanding Beyond the Classics
Patrick Harrison on Tampa Bay Tourism’s Resilience and Marketing Strategy
Bubba O’Keefe on Clarksdale’s Vibrant Music Scene
Commemorating Elvis and Embracing Tupelo’s Culture with Jennie Bradford Curlee
Craig Ray and the Expansion of the Blues Trail
Presenting Mississippi’s Cultural Trails with Katie Coats
Robert Terrell: A Journey Through BB King’s Influence
Rochelle Hicks: Celebrating Mississippi’s Musical Legacy
Exploring Jacksonville with Katie Mitura: The Flip Side of Florida
Dozens fall ill in P&O Cruises ship outbreak
Turkish Airlines flight in emergency landing after pilot dies
Boy falls to death on cruise ship
Unexpected wave rocks cruise ship
Woman dies after going overboard in English Channel