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Hotel employee, 26, dies of rare rat-linked virus that killed Gene Hackman’s wife: report
New York Post ^ | April 26, 2025 | Anna Young

Posted on 04/26/2025 9:11:45 PM PDT by nickcarraway

A young California man died from the same rare rodent-linked virus that killed Gene Hackman’s wife in February — with health officials discovering rat droppings at his workplace following his untimely death, according to a report.

Rodrigo Becerra, 26, had fallen seriously ill and was prescribed antibiotics the night before he was found convulsing in his Mammoth Lakes home, where he perished from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare infectious disease linked to rodents, on March 6, his family told SFGATE.

Becerra, who was just three days shy of his birthday when he died, worked as a bell hop at Mammoth Mountain Inn, where rodent droppings have since been found behind the establishment’s front desk.

(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...


TOPICS: Health/Medicine; Local News; Pets/Animals
KEYWORDS: california; deermouse; dontsweepthepoop; hantavirus; mice; pulmonarysyndrome; ratdroppings; rats; rodents; vermin
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1 posted on 04/26/2025 9:11:45 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway

There could be an outbreak of this at Sutter Health Park, the minor league place where the Sacramento A’s play.


2 posted on 04/26/2025 9:12:38 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway

My mother’s friend died of an infection from changing kitty litter. It may have been the same virus.


3 posted on 04/26/2025 9:15:19 PM PDT by Jonty30 (I can promise I can land any plane that is in the air, because gravity only moves in one direction.)
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To: nickcarraway

Hantavirus comes from rodents…not just rats, but mice and squirrels. It seems to be worse in wet years when there is more food like seeds.


4 posted on 04/26/2025 9:24:54 PM PDT by kaktuskid
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To: nickcarraway

Hanta virus from mice/rats.


5 posted on 04/26/2025 9:25:09 PM PDT by rktman (Destroy America from within? Check! WTH? Enlisted USN 1967 to end up with this💩? 🚫💉! 🇮🇱👍!)
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To: Jonty30

How can that be? Cats kill rodents.


6 posted on 04/26/2025 9:32:10 PM PDT by nwrep
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To: nwrep

They eat rodents and poop out the viruses.


7 posted on 04/26/2025 9:34:07 PM PDT by Jonty30 (I can promise I can land any plane that is in the air, because gravity only moves in one direction.)
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To: Jonty30

That was probably toxoplasmosis which is a parasitic infection not a virus.


8 posted on 04/26/2025 9:34:15 PM PDT by webheart (Why not write out because instead of saying b/c and with instead of w/ ?)
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To: Jonty30

My AI research assistant tells me that cats and dogs don’t spread hanta virus to humans, but they could be infected. It seems counter-intuitive that it cannot be spread to humans by any infected animal. So far, it seems to be spread by urine, saliva and droppings of some rodents...either by aerosol route or direct route like touching or breathing it in. Since not all cat urine or feces is tested for it, the general idea is that it is not infectious to humans.
Cat litter can harbor other viruses or parasites, however.
FYI, and IMHO


9 posted on 04/26/2025 9:34:36 PM PDT by Getready (Wisdom is more valuable than gold and harder to find. )
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To: nickcarraway

Too many ‘rats in California


10 posted on 04/26/2025 9:36:58 PM PDT by RckyRaCoCo (Time to throw them out of the Temple...again)
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To: webheart

It may have not been. My internet searching has informed me that Hanta Virus is not transmissible through the litter box.

However, Cryptosporidium is transmissible and can be deadly for people if they have a compromised immune system and it be picked up by changing kitty litter.


11 posted on 04/26/2025 9:43:07 PM PDT by Jonty30 (I can promise I can land any plane that is in the air, because gravity only moves in one direction.)
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To: nickcarraway

“Convulsions”?

Not listed on the CDC site...


12 posted on 04/26/2025 9:53:27 PM PDT by castlebrew (Gun Control means hitting here you're aiming!))
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To: nickcarraway

13 posted on 04/26/2025 10:10:35 PM PDT by DannyTN
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To: DannyTN

I didn’t know R Lee Ermy was in Willard.


14 posted on 04/26/2025 11:39:27 PM PDT by Mark17 (Retired USAF air traffic controller. Father of USAF ISR pilot. Both bitten by the aviation bug)
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To: nickcarraway
There could be an outbreak of this at Sutter Health Park, the minor league place where the Sacramento A’s play.

Didn’t that used to be called Raley Field? I remember crossing that weird looking bridge. As I recall, the federal building is on Capitol Mall Blvd, along with the State Capitol. I had to go to Cal PERS office on Q street a few times too, and the K Street Mall is near there.

15 posted on 04/26/2025 11:59:51 PM PDT by Mark17 (Retired USAF air traffic controller. Father of USAF ISR pilot. Both bitten by the aviation bug)
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To: DannyTN

The movie Willard was on Svengoolie last night


16 posted on 04/27/2025 12:00:34 AM PDT by Uversabound (Might does not make right, but it does enforce the commonly recognized rights of each succeeding gen)
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To: Jonty30

No, not the same. The kitty litter ds is toxoplasmosis.


17 posted on 04/27/2025 1:40:51 AM PDT by nuconvert ( Warning: Accused of being a radical militarist. Approach with caution.)
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To: nickcarraway

Every year in Colorado & New Mex. the state puts out warnings about Hanta virus. People sweeping out their garage after finding mouse droppings get sick a few days later and think they have the flu, only to die a week or so later.
The rule is: Don’t sweep the poop. It aerosolizes the virus, you breath it into your lungs, and you’re probably not going to survive.


18 posted on 04/27/2025 1:53:17 AM PDT by nuconvert ( Warning: Accused of being a radical militarist. Approach with caution.)
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To: nickcarraway

I’m surprised the CDC hasn’t weaponized the virus and released it into the general public


19 posted on 04/27/2025 4:32:18 AM PDT by Wilderness Conservative (Nature is the ultimate conservative)
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To: DannyTN

Just on Svengoolie last night


20 posted on 04/27/2025 5:10:06 AM PDT by George from New England (escaped CT back in 2006)
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