12 September 2012 -
As of 7 Sept 2012, The National Park Service (NPS) has
reported eight cases of Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) among
visitors who stayed at Yosemite National Park in California since June
2012. Of these, three were fatal and five cases are recovering.
Park authorities have begun to notify and advise park visitors
and those who stayed overnight at "Signature Tent Cabins” at Yosemite's
Curry Village or "High Sierra Camps" between 10 June and 24 August 2012
to seek immediate medical attention if they exhibit any symptoms of
HPS.
Person-to-person transmission of Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome has not been reported in the United States.
Investigations carried out by NPS revealed that seven of the
eight reported cases of HPS have been linked to the "Signature Tent
Cabins" in Curry Village in Yosemite Valley, and one case stayed in
multiple "High Sierra Camps" in Yosemite (a different area of the park
than Curry Village) in July.
There is no specific treatment or cure for Hantavirus
pulmonary syndrome infection. Early recognition and treatment of
infected individuals can reduce disease progression. Early symptoms
include fatigue, fever, chills, and muscle aches. Fifty percent of the
patients can experience headaches, nausea, vomiting, dizziness and
abdominal pain. The disease progresses rapidly (4-10 days after initial
symptoms) to include coughing, shortness of breath and severe difficulty
breathing.
Early medical attention greatly increases the chance of
survival in cases of HPS. It is recommended that if a recent visitor to
Yosemite National Park has any of the symptoms listed above, that they
seek medical attention immediately and advise their health care
professional of the potential exposure to Hantavirus.
NPS continues to work with the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), the California Department of Public Health, and other
state departments of health to detect additional cases and to heighten
public health awareness of Hantavirus and HPS.
A non-emergency phone line is still open with NPS for
questions and concerns related to Hantavirus in Yosemite +1 209
372-0822. In addition, CDC has a hotline as well (877-232-3322 and
404-639-1510).
Additional information and updated information about HPS in Yosemite can be found via links on the right to this page.
http://www.who.int/csr/don/2012_09_12/en/index.html
No comments:
Post a Comment