3 deaths from Hantavirus in California

California’s local health agencies have reported the deaths of three individuals who contracted Hantavirus in February 2025 in Mammoth Lakes. Since 1993, twenty-seven cases have been documented in that location. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that the virus is present in the southwestern United States, notably in New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and California. Hantavirus infection is a viral disease spread by rodents through contact with their excrement or by inhaling viral particles in environments with substantial quantities of feces from infected animals. The virus can induce severe pulmonary infections, characterized by coughing and dyspnea, or renal infections, manifested by abdominal pain and, in some instances, renal failure. Currently, there is no specific curative therapy; treatment is limited to symptomatic care and, when required, life support. In the absence of appropriate medical management, the condition can be fatal.