The State Health Department has confirmed an adult in Western North Dakota died last month from hantavirus.

The organization hasn't released the name, age, or gender of the person, nor has the department announced the county where the person lived.

Disease Specialist Kirby Kruger said they've found indications the person was cleaning outbildings, which could have led to exposure to rodents that carry Hantavirus.

A person can only get the disease through exposure to urine, saliva, or feces from infected rodents.

It's not contagious, but early signslike body aches and fevercan look similar to symptoms of the flu...

(Kirby Kruger/Disease Specialist, ND Health Dept.): "But it will progress pretty rapidly to severe repiratory illness, and people will know they're ill. And generally speaking, people with hantavirus need to be hospitalized. They're ill enough where they're having trouble breathing, they're not getting enough oxygen, and they need to be in the hospital."


There have only been nine cases of hantavirus ever confirmed in North Dakota.

Only one other person has died from the disease since 1993. watch the video | save this article / add to your favorites list