10,000 Yosemite tourists could face deadly virus

[Orphia Nay]

In defence of my OP link, "10,000 Yosemite tourists could face deadly virus", it states they "could" face the virus, not that they do face it. Not alarmist.

Originally Posted by OnlyTellsTruths

Saw this on Google news, not sure if it was mentioned yet:

Yosemite hantavirus warning extends worldwide

This, though, appears to be alarmist at first look, however it goes into further detail within.

[Travis]

The weird thing is us locals never seem to get it. It always seems to be a tourist that gets the damned disease and dies.

[Skeptic Ginger]

Originally Posted by Orphia Nay

In defence of my OP link, "10,000 Yosemite tourists could face deadly virus", it states they "could" face the virus, not that they do face it. Not alarmist.

FWIW, I never took your post or this thread as alarmist.

[Skeptic Ginger]

Originally Posted by Travis

The weird thing is us locals never seem to get it. It always seems to be a tourist that gets the damned disease and dies.

Not true. It just happens to be a tourist tent cabin that is the source of the infection in this outbreak. In the Four Corners outbreak years ago, it was the locals affected. Most cases are typically locals because most hotels don't have deer mice infestations.

[Soapy Sam]

So what's the latest on this?

[Tiktaalik]

I lived in Yosemite for 15 years, in plenty of mouse-infested places, as well as other mousy areas throughout the west and southwest, where hantavirus is endemic. I figure I've probably been exposed to it and am one of the lucky ones that doesn't get it very badly.

Of course, right now I'm fighting some kind of respiratory virus that's been going on for the last 10 days & has necessitated breathing treatments at the ER. Makes me nervous.

[Skeptic Ginger]

Originally Posted by Tiktaalik

I lived in Yosemite for 15 years, in plenty of mouse-infested places, as well as other mousy areas throughout the west and southwest, where hantavirus is endemic. I figure I've probably been exposed to it and am one of the lucky ones that doesn't get it very badly.

Of course, right now I'm fighting some kind of respiratory virus that's been going on for the last 10 days & has necessitated breathing treatments at the ER. Makes me nervous.

How do you (or the docs) know it's a virus?

[Orphia Nay]

Originally Posted by Skeptic Ginger

FWIW, I never took your post or this thread as alarmist.

Thanks.

[Nihilianth]

Originally Posted by Skeptic Ginger

There will be an incredibly small number of them who actually get infected by the sin nombre (hanta) virus in the end. So far there are 2 deaths and only a handful of infections.

A case of a mad media-ratings grab by ABC? I think so. I really, really think so. There is no shortage of the modern media taking a story, and blowing it way out of proportion these days....

[Orphia Nay]

The latest news:

"Yosemite National Park doubled the scope of its hantavirus warning on Thursday to some 22,000 visitors who may have been exposed to the deadly mouse-borne disease as the number of confirmed cases grew to eight and a third death was reported."

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/...8841GH20120907

[Orphia Nay]

Originally Posted by Nihilianth

A case of a mad media-ratings grab by ABC? I think so. I really, really think so. There is no shortage of the modern media taking a story, and blowing it way out of proportion these days....

Are you confusing the Australian ABC (OP article) with the USA ABC?

[Travis]

Originally Posted by Skeptic Ginger

Not true. It just happens to be a tourist tent cabin that is the source of the infection in this outbreak. In the Four Corners outbreak years ago, it was the locals affected. Most cases are typically locals because most hotels don't have deer mice infestations.

I can't speak for other places. I'm just talking about my neck of the woods.

Originally Posted by Tiktaalik

I lived in Yosemite for 15 years, in plenty of mouse-infested places, as well as other mousy areas throughout the west and southwest, where hantavirus is endemic. I figure I've probably been exposed to it and am one of the lucky ones that doesn't get it very badly.

Awesome. We were once practically neighbors.....that is if you lived there anytime after 1978.

[Skeptic Ginger]

Originally Posted by Travis

I can't speak for other places. I'm just talking about my neck of the woods....

And, this specific outbreak.

See slide 11 noting where the 46 documented cases of SNV in California have occurred: Hantavirus in California.

There is a connection to the forest and a concentration of cases in your neck of the woods, (though more concentrated in neighboring Mono County). Probably the ratio of Nat. Forest visitors to residents correlates with the ration of cases in locals vs visitors.

The reason you probably don't know of many/any cases outside of this outbreak is simply because the cases are that rare.

[Nihilianth]

Originally Posted by Orphia Nay

Are you confusing the Australian ABC (OP article) with the USA ABC?

Probably? Are they two different entities? Is the Aussie ABC the one who reported on this? Or is the Aussie ABC just a division of "ABC?" I assume since you said this, that I did in fact confuse the two.

Either way, it doesn't change what I said about a "media ratings grab."

[Skeptic Ginger]

Originally Posted by Nihilianth

Probably? Are they two different entities? Is the Aussie ABC the one who reported on this? Or is the Aussie ABC just a division of "ABC?" I assume since you said this, that I did in fact confuse the two.

Either way, it doesn't change what I said about a "media ratings grab."

America is not the only country that starts with 'A'.

[Tiktaalik]

Originally Posted by Skeptic Ginger

How do you (or the docs) know it's a virus?

Good question, especially since it now turns out that it's pneumonia. I got a call this morning me asking me to come back to the hospital to "discuss my chest X-rays". At least I'm getting treated now.

[Tiktaalik]

Originally Posted by Travis

Awesome. We were once practically neighbors.....that is if you lived there anytime after 1978.

Yep - 2nd time was 1989 - 1993, inclusive. I lived at Hardin Flat for a while.

[Orphia Nay]

Originally Posted by Nihilianth

Probably? Are they two different entities? Is the Aussie ABC the one who reported on this? Or is the Aussie ABC just a division of "ABC?" I assume since you said this, that I did in fact confuse the two.

Either way, it doesn't change what I said about a "media ratings grab."

The ABC is funded by the Australian government. It doesn't show commercials, so is not ratings-driven. The left sometimes accuse it of being conservative, and the right sometimes accuse it of being liberal.

And you seem to have missed this post:

Originally Posted by Orphia Nay

In defence of my OP link, "10,000 Yosemite tourists could face deadly virus", it states they "could" face the virus, not that they do face it. Not alarmist.

[Nihilianth]

Originally Posted by Skeptic Ginger

America is not the only country that starts with 'A'.

Well, no duh!

[Myriad]

I remember reading a rather detailed account of the Four Corners outbreak many years ago, and I specifically remember the article discussing the preceding weather conditions -- a mild winter causing a mouse population increase, and then a drought helping to dry out the droppings to "dustify" the virus -- as being key. (There was also some mention of some old Native American traditions regarding mice and drought years, that suggested that the natives had some awareness of the disease and its vectors, though I don't remember what those traditions were.) Whenever there's news about a drought in that region it makes me think of the virus.

Thus, I'm surprised there weren't health warnings issued. Maybe that's because the overall risk is still very small compared to e.g. driving to and from Yosemite (or anywhere else).

Respectfully,
Myriad

[Skeptic Ginger]

Originally Posted by Tiktaalik

Good question, especially since it now turns out that it's pneumonia. I got a call this morning me asking me to come back to the hospital to "discuss my chest X-rays". At least I'm getting treated now.

Bummer. And good you're getting treated.

The reason I asked was because there is so much pertussis in the country right now and for a bacterial infection it is unusual in that the fever is low grade.

It does cause pneumonia, it can have an atypical cough especially in an adult and one of the key features is, it lasts so long.

OTOH, there are a number of other organisms that cause pneumonia in an otherwise healthy person. Have they done any cultures? Did they culture for pertussis (it takes a special culture)?

Still enjoying "Crypt of Souls", BTW.

[Travis]

Originally Posted by Myriad

I remember reading a rather detailed account of the Four Corners outbreak many years ago, and I specifically remember the article discussing the preceding weather conditions -- a mild winter causing a mouse population increase, and then a drought helping to dry out the droppings to "dustify" the virus -- as being key. (There was also some mention of some old Native American traditions regarding mice and drought years, that suggested that the natives had some awareness of the disease and its vectors, though I don't remember what those traditions were.) Whenever there's news about a drought in that region it makes me think of the virus.

Thus, I'm surprised there weren't health warnings issued. Maybe that's because the overall risk is still very small compared to e.g. driving to and from Yosemite (or anywhere else).

Respectfully,
Myriad

There usually are warnings. But Yosemite is using a lot of new service contractors right now and it is possible the new companies dropped the ball.

[Orphia Nay]

Originally Posted by Tiktaalik

Good question, especially since it now turns out that it's pneumonia. I got a call this morning me asking me to come back to the hospital to "discuss my chest X-rays". At least I'm getting treated now.

Hope it all goes well and you're better soon.