NewsDesk @bactiman63

The Departmental Health Service (Headquarters) of La Paz detected three confirmed cases of hantavirus in recent days, two in the town of Sapecho and another in La Cascada, both in the municipality of Palos Blancos in La Paz department, according to a local media report.

Image/Robert Herriman

This has prompted a health alert and increased surveillance.

Hantavirus is a serious viral disease caused by the Hantavirus whose host is the long-tailed mouse. This rodent lives in rural areas, especially in the jungle, such as forests and fields, where the rodents that carry the virus are found.

This disease can be transmitted through the inhalation of fecal matter (feces or urine) and the consumption of food that is contaminated with rodent saliva.

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According to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), this disease is characterized by the fact that patients present symptoms of fever, headaches and gastrointestinal conditions, respiratory difficulties and hypotension.

According to data from Headquarters, the first symptoms of hantavirus appear between seven and 42 days after contact with the virus. The degree of mortality reaches up to 60%, since there are no medications to cure this disease.