Hantavirus in Yosemite

Hantavirus pulmonary disease (HPS) is a rare but serious disease that humans can contract through contact with infected rodents or their urine, saliva, blood, or droppings. From 1993, when HPS was first identified in the United States, to 2020, there have been 87 cases in California residents and over 700 cases nationally. Approximately 12 percent of deer mice carry hantavirus.

The deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) is the primary reservoir for Sin Nombre Virus, the strain of hantavirus responsible for the human cases in Yosemite National Park, and most human cases in the United States. The deer mouse is found throughout most of the United States, including Yosemite National Park.

For additional information on preventing HPS, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) hantavirus website or California Department of Public Health (CDPH) website.

View frequently asked questions about hantavirus in Yosemite.

General Information about Hantavirus

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

  • For more information on hantavirus you can call the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Hotline at 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636) or 1-404-639-1510.

• California Department of Public Health

  • Rodents and Hantavirus brochure [17 MB PDF]

• National Park Service