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High_Sierra_Fan 
Group: Members
Posts: 39589
Joined: Aug. 2005
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Posted on: Sep. 13 2012, 1:43 am |
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"Dear Yosemite National Park Visitor,
Every year we are proud to welcome almost four million people to Yosemite National Park. Thank you for your visit this summer.
As you may be aware, Yosemite has been in the news recently related to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), a rare but serious disease that occurs throughout the United States, usually in rural areas. Your recent overnight visit to Yosemite did not include a stay in lodging where the known hantavirus infections might have occurred; however, we wanted to take this opportunity to increase public awareness about hantavirus. We are contacting you as the reservation holder and we ask you to share the following information with the rest of your party.
Hantavirus can be contracted as a result of contact with urine, droppings or saliva from infected rodents, primarily deer mice. It is not spread person-to-person. State and NPS public health officials have confirmed that eight people who visited the park this summer have been diagnosed with HPS. Tragically, three people have died; the other five individuals have recovered.
Seven of the confirmed cases have been linked to overnight stays in June and July in Curry Village's Signature tent cabins, which have been closed indefinitely. The eighth case involves a visitor who stayed in multiple High Sierra Camps. We have reached out to reservation holders who stayed in these facilities since early June to provide information on HPS and to encourage anyone who exhibits hantavirus symptoms to seek medical attention.
Public health officials have no evidence at this time to indicate that persons who stayed elsewhere in the park this summer were at increased risk of exposure to hantavirus. Nevertheless, we want to ensure that all our guests have accurate and current information on hantavirus. For additional information about Yosemite and reports of hantavirus, please visit Yosemite’s website at http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/hantavirus.htm. If you have additional questions about hantavirus, you can find out more on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website at http://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/ or by calling their hotline at 1-800-CDC-INFO.
Yosemite is working closely with public health officials to reduce the risk of hantavirus. We continue to make the health and safety of our visitors our top priority, and we hope to see you in one of our nation’s treasured national parks again soon.
Yosemite National Park"
So from recreation.gov that's related to a Tuolumne Meadows campground stay. Apparently a general outreach to anyone who's email they have on file with a park visit connection.
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Serpicorabbit
If I pee on it, it's mine!
Group: Members
Posts: 4112
Joined: Oct. 2008
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Posted on: Sep. 15 2012, 2:37 am |
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Good to see a proactive approach to the situation - e-mailing recent visitors instead of just posting a sign at the entrance. Last year after a group trip in the Sierra, I actually received a phone call from a lady with the Forest Service looking for a gentleman who had gone missing about the time we were in the same area. Knowing that your permit application is more than just a formality is quite reassuring.
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No problem! ~ ALF
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Serpicorabbit's blog
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| Post Number: 3
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toejam
the high road is hard to find
Group: Members
Posts: 1462
Joined: Mar. 2002
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Posted on: Sep. 15 2012, 11:13 am |
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I'd take a vaccine.
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| Post Number: 4
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Serpicorabbit
If I pee on it, it's mine!
Group: Members
Posts: 4112
Joined: Oct. 2008
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Posted on: Sep. 15 2012, 12:45 pm |
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I live with a rat. Does that count?
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No problem! ~ ALF
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Serpicorabbit's blog
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| Post Number: 5
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Painter
Group: Members
Posts: 129
Joined: May 2010
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Posted on: Sep. 15 2012, 2:04 pm |
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I stayed in one of those signature tent cabins for two nights before starting the JMT in early August. The first week out on the trail I had a pretty nasty cold which I think I caught on the flight to California. I'm glad I didn't know about the virus outbreak at the time or I would have been freaking out! I definitely would have cut the trip short to get checked out.
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| Post Number: 6
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big_load
Group: Members
Posts: 21844
Joined: Jun. 2004
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Posted on: Sep. 27 2012, 10:50 pm |
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They're offering tests to Yosemite workers.
link
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| Post Number: 8
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High_Sierra_Fan
Group: Members
Posts: 39589
Joined: Aug. 2005
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Posted on: Sep. 27 2012, 11:22 pm |
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I'd wondered about that. Presumably the largest risk group would have seemed to be those with chronic work-related potential exposure. Especially if transient exposure led to disease.
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| Post Number: 9
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big_load
Group: Members
Posts: 21844
Joined: Jun. 2004
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Posted on: Sep. 29 2012, 3:38 pm |
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A vaccine would be great. I suspect the economics don't look good, since the people at most risk in the general population skew toward lower incomes and worse insurance coverage. 
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| Post Number: 11
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Survival Skills 101 • Eat Better
