Concerns are rising at California’s infamous San Quentin prison as an inmate shows symptoms consistent with hantavirus, raising fears of a potential outbreak in this densely populated facility.
Hantavirus gained widespread attention after several individuals aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship were infected during its global voyage.
Authorities in Marin County are currently awaiting test results from both federal and state health departments to confirm whether the 38-year-old inmate is indeed suffering from hantavirus, according to ABC 7 News.
As of now, no cases of hantavirus have been officially confirmed within the prison, officials stated.
A spokesperson from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation emphasized to the San Francisco Chronicle that ensuring the health and safety of both inmates and staff is their utmost priority.
The prison, officially known as the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, houses more than 3,000 inmates.
The facility where the sick prisoner was housed has been disinfected, and medical staff will monitor inmates and staff for symptoms indicative of possible exposure.
Officials at the prison believe the inmate’s sickness was not caused by person-to-person contact and no quarantine has been announced.
A prison official did not know whether the inmate was still being treated at the medical unit or had been returned to his regular housing facility, ABC 7 reported.
Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome is a rare but severe respiratory illness that can start with flu-like symptoms, sometimes including stomach problems, before rapidly progressing to life-threatening respiratory distress.
The fatality rate is about 30% to 40%, and there is no antiviral treatment, according to the The California Department of Public Health. Severe cases usually require aggressive critical care.
Four Californians exposed to the cruise ship outbreak were being monitored by the state for infection last month. Two of the them have already returned home and are being monitored by local public health officials, health officials said.
The other two were transported by federal authorities to a secure medical facility in Nebraska and are expected to return to California once health assessments are complete and safety arrangements are in place.