Crossposted from Public Health Insider

The outbreak of hantavirus on an international cruise ship has put this rare disease in the headlines. WHO is leading the investigation of that situation involving a specific type of hantavirus that has not been found in the United States. We wanted to learn more about whether hantavirus poses a risk to people in King County, so we checked in with Dr. Jocelyn Mullins, a public health veterinarian and resident expert at Public Health – Seattle & King County on diseases coming from animals.

Dr. Mullins, what is hantavirus and how people can get it? 

Hantavirus is a rare but potentially deadly disease that affects the lungs. It primarily spreads from contact with wild rodents, especially when people are exposed to their urine, droppings, and saliva. It can also spread through a scratch or a bite by a wild rodent, but that’s even more rare. Read more.