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Yosemite officials confirm up 10K exposed to Hantavirus

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    Dr. Manny Alvarez explains the risks

  • Duration 3:14
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What is it true treasure I can tell you from being there myself -- sending national park in California is quite a sight to see but right now authorities.

Are saying as many as 101000 visitors may have an -- exposed to a deadly.

-- a virus is spread by rodents.

I six six people have been infected two of them have died.

The park sending letters to guess -- -- inserting cabins between June and August sparking a wave of phone calls.

From Friday in visitors looking for answers.

I did think about it and I know I have my dad calling me he knew we -- staying here and he was concerned about it we did not grant one.

Very close the part about 45 minutes away just because we didn't want to have to really.

-- -- deal with that but -- it is very scary.

-- than the virus is rare but it's definitely serious according to the CDC.

There have been nearly 600 cases of hands of virus in the US in 1993 to 2011.

13 of them were fatal so rare but serious joining us now managing editor Fox News health dot com.

Fox News medical eighteen or Dr.

Manny Alvarez is Dr.

Manny -- is so dangerous that makes -- virus such a dangerous by.

It makes it dangerous because there's no treatment did you get the severe if you get a severe pulmonary infection.

There's really no treatment for him you end up with almost -- terminal case of the flu.

Where you have really no oxygen going into your lungs your heart fails and you dot.

What makes this story important is because this was concentrated.

In one area that had a lot of exposure to people.

I -- -- today I think -- we're up to the third victim all from from that specific exposures so.

You know I and they found the rodents which you know you mentioned before this virus is carried by mice.

And rats also especially feel right -- field mice.

And and if you get exposed -- to the droppings.

Or the -- of these mice in it in a very close tent.

You can and really get exposed to this -- -- semi has a virus can they spread it to other -- now it is not transmitted from human to human.

The problem with this is that it has a long incubation period anywhere between four to six weeks.

So you can imagine you can be you know you kind of gone let's say in late July -- Into this and I get exposed and then may be.

And of August beginning of September you begin to develop flu like symptoms that is why it's very important for people to be notified and to be aware of the signs and -- Is there -- -- Calling sign if you -- this particular virus -- to say wow this is really different than the flu or at different than a really bad cold that it had before well let's have.

Even for a lot of doctors this is very difficult to make the diagnosis because of the patient is it doesn't disclose hey listen I -- I had a camping trip and the whole thing.

If it looks like the flu looks like a bad case of the flow Filipino camp and he had mentioned your sanity is descending at the rest of us really don't need to worry about well we don't need to worry about but but again they you know -- this thing you know 101000 people between July and all hospitals a lot of people.

And and you know you if you catch it early and that's the whole trick if you catch it early.

Then doctors can do some support treatment and minimize the side of things but if you catch -- late.

And you don't pay attention and to be quite that it's a good thing ever talking about today that to -- thank you always nice.

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