Arkansas Man Infected With Dangerous Deadly Virus Carried by Rats

Arkansas beware! Researchers from the University of Arkansas have identified a new dangerous deadly variant dubbed the Ozark virus that is carried by rats. The virus has a 40 percent kill rate and a Little Rock man has become infected by the virus.

This is the first time the virus has infected someone from Arkansas The never-before-seen deadly virus is transferred to humans by rodent feces or through breathing in contaminated air, according to a report from Daily Mail. Scientists discovered the strain months ago and are still testing to find out exactly what strain he has been infected with.

The man infected was diagnosed with Hantavirus, a family of viruses that kill around 38 percent of patients and spread through rodent droppings. According to research, 300 Americans catch hantaviruses and death rates reach up to 60 percent in some cases.

Researchers from the University of Arkansas say the virus comes from the hispid cotton rats in the Ozarks that were running rampant during the pandemic.

Symptoms

The most common symptoms are flu-like such as fever, sore muscles, vomiting, fatigue, headache, and nausea. Depending on the severity of the illness it could also infect the lungs and heart causing breathing problems or shortness of breath and in some cases can lead to death.

It's best to contact a doctor immediately if you think you may have been exposed to this virus so you can receive treatment and medications right away before it worsens.

At this time there is no cure or vaccine if you get the Hantavirus infection. The good news is there's no known human-to-human transmission of Hantaviruses. See the full report here.