Arizona Reports 1st 2026 Hantavirus Death From Sin Nombre as U.S. Fatality Rate Hits 36%
Updated
Updated · Forbes · Jun 3
Arizona Reports 1st 2026 Hantavirus Death From Sin Nombre as U.S. Fatality Rate Hits 36%
3 articles · Updated · Forbes · Jun 3
Summary
Arizona health officials said a resident died from Sin Nombre hantavirus, marking the state's first hantavirus death of 2026.
Sin Nombre spreads to humans mainly when they inhale airborne particles from infected deer mice droppings, urine or saliva, often in agricultural settings.
The strain causes Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, which begins with fever, fatigue and muscle aches before progressing to coughing, shortness of breath and fluid-filled lungs.
Sin Nombre does not spread person to person, unlike the Andes strain tied to the MV Hondius cruise outbreak, but it has historically carried a 36% U.S. case-fatality rate.
CDC data show 890 U.S. hantavirus cases from 1993 through 2023, with Arizona among the western states reporting the most infections.