A woman diagnosed with hantavirus hemorrhagic fever in Taipei was most likely infected by inhaling the virus when cleaning up rodent waste, according to the Taipei City Government Department of Health.

The first patient to contract the disease in Taipei this year brings the number of confirmed cases in the country to three so far this year.

The woman, in her 40s, probably inhaled the hantavirus from rodent urine, droppings or saliva when she was cleaning up at her residence, Chang Hui-mei (???), head of the department’s Disease Control Section, told CNA Wednesday.

According to the patient, she wore a mask and gloves while doing the cleanup, but the mask did not completely cover her nose and mouth, Chang said.

Humans contract hantavirus by breathing in contaminated airborne particles or through contact with rodents, according to the World Health Organization.

People are advised to keep doors and windows open to improve ventilation when cleaning up rodent nest sites and use gloves and masks to prevent contact with rodents or inhalation of the virus, Chang said.

The patient developed a fever, headache, muscle soreness and mild diarrhea on June 4 and was admitted to hospital with suspected hantavirus hemorrhagic fever infection on June 7.

However, she was not confirmed as infected with the virus until July 7 after first being discharged from hospital and returning to screen for the virus on that day, Chang said.

The patient has recovered from the disease and members of her family did not develop any related symptoms, Chang added.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel