There may be up to 10,000 people who visited Yosemite National Park that could have been exposed to the rodent-borne hantavirus. The virus who has killed two people.
California health officials reported that two more campers have contracted hantavirus pulmonary syndrome which brings the total to six cases.
Acccording to the Merced Star approximately 2,900 people who reserved tent cabins in Curry Village between the dates of June 10 and August 24 have been notified of the potential exposure.
The luxury cabins hold four people and could have hosted up to 7,000 visitors that could have possibly been exposed, bringing the total to 10,000.
Park officials decided to close the cabins for the time being. The disease is spread through feces, saliva and urine of infected mice which humans can inhale in the air. Deer mice are the most common carrier of Hantavirus.
Symptoms can develop within one to six weeks and include chills, muscle ache and fever. This then can progress into headache, nausea, dry coughs and vomiting as well as shortness of breath and fluid in the lungs. Though the disease is rare it can cause death.
The park is receiving more than 1000 calls per day from previous visitors seeking information, according to the AP.
There have been six confirmed cases of the disease linked to Yosemite and four have been traced to the tent cabins. The remaining are still under investigation.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
