Jacksonville Doctor Says Hantavirus Is Rare, With 0 Local Cases Reported

2 articles · Updated · WJXT News4JAX · May 12

Dr. Sonya Rashid, a Jacksonville ER physician, said most emergency doctors will likely never see hantavirus and that person-to-person spread is possible but uncommon.
Rodent droppings, urine and feces remain the main transmission route, making the virus harder to spread than airborne illnesses such as COVID-19, she said.
Early symptoms can resemble flu — fever, chills and body aches — but severe cases may progress to fluid in the lungs, kidney failure and low blood pressure.
0 FDA-approved treatments exist, so care is mainly supportive, focused on breathing, blood pressure and kidney function; Rashid urged people not to sweep rodent droppings without strong protection.
Baptist Health said it has no hantavirus cases in its system, while UF Health said it was unaware of any and would follow up.

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