A possible case of Hantavirus in Illinois' Winnebago County has sparked panic across the US. The Illinois Department of Public Health has issued an update providing details on the case and explaining the potential risks.
The IDPH said that one person is being tested for possible Hantavirus in Winnebago County, but the case is yet to be confirmed. The test results could take up to 10 days to be completed.
IDPH stressed that the possible infection in the Illinois resident was not linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship, where the virus first spread. The resident contacted the virus "while cleaning a home where rodent droppings were present."
The North American strain of the Hantavirus, which the individual is believed to have potentially acquired, is not spread from person to person. The risk of contracting the virus "remains very low."
The resident has not travelled internationally recently and is not seriously ill, with only mild symptoms. There are 11 confirmed cases of Hantavirus across the world linked to the cruise ship, with three people having died.
