Note: I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV
2 dead from inhaling the virus contained in mouse droppings. CA Public Health and the Center for Disease Control are all over this problem. It could be a very big problem. It’s confirmed that 4 of the 6 victims (so far) stayed in the Signature Tent Cabins. There are 91 of these units. They are way nicer than the cheaper canvas tent cabins. The 2 types look alike from the outside but the Signature ones have inner insulated walls. They also have a 110-volt power outlet (2 receptacles) to charge up your gizmos. The canvas ones only have one overhead light bulb. A furnace in each Signature unit provides heat on cold nights. I stayed in one in February, 2010 when we attempted to photograph the glow on Horsetail Fall (it was overcast).
The Signature cabins are separated from the canvas cabins by a one-way service road that runs out of the east end of the Curry Village parking lot. Maybe 30 y ards apart. In the same complex are wood sided cabins and large shower/toilet buildings. The historic name for the area is “Boystown.”
Associated Press has been running a story about the situation and includes a file photo of the 400 series of canvas tent cabins. There is an implication that these are involved. Wrong. Although both varieties look alike from the outside, the current concern is the commonality of the Signature Tent Cabins.
4. September 2012 at 2:25 pm
I don’t think it’s possible to keep deer mice out of the tent cabins or the bear lockers.
I prefer the older tent cabins, even though they don’t have electrical outlets. Some of them have heat in the winter, and it works pretty well.
The CDC website has a lot of information, http://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/
A key point is that if patients wait until they have full-blown respiratory distress, the chances of successful treatment are much lower.
One good thing: so far, no evidence of the possibility of getting hantavirus from contact with an infected human.