Infection caused by deer mice | Workers cleaning areas where mice live are advised to use wet mopping method
Saskatchewan health officials are cautioning people after confirming the death of an adult male following complications resulting from hantavirus.
A second death, an adult female, is being investigated. Both people lived in the Heartland Health Region of west-central Saskatchewan.
Officials said they don’t believe the cases are related but the two had similar symptoms.
Phil Curry, zoonotic disease consultant with the health ministry, said this is not a cluster of cases.
“It’s a reminder that everyone in Saskatchewan needs to take precautions against hantavirus,” he said.
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The infection is rare but potentially fatal and is caused by exposure to the contaminated airborne particles from the feces, urine and saliva of infected deer mice.
Curry said farmers, outdoor workers, grain handlers and anyone who cleans in spaces where mice might have lived are all at risk.
“Deer mice are one of our most numerous mouse species, particularly out in the rural and suburban areas and we have detected hantavirus in them in many locations,” he said.
Deer mice are distinctively two-coloured. They are brown on top with white bellies and feet.
“They’ve got big ears and big eyes. It’s kind of a cute little thing.”
People sometimes confuse them with the common house mouse, which is all grey, or meadow voles, which are brown but have short tails.
Only deer mice carry hantavirus, but not all of them.
And not all people exposed will get sick.
Curry said if a large area is to be cleaned, people should consider coveralls, gloves and an M95 mask.
“The most important thing is not to use a dry cleaning method, so don’t just go in and sweep or vacuum or use an air hose,” he said.
“Use a wet mopping technique, dampen the area down and let it air out. Ventilate for at least 30 minutes before you go in and start to do cleaning.”
For more information, go to www.health.gov.sk.ca/hantavirus.
Guidelines for workplaces where infestations might be heavy can be found at www.lrws.gov.sk.ca/hantavirus-disease-guidelines-protecting-workers-public.
