Associated Press

A death from hantavirus has been reported in western North Dakota.

The infected person was an adult who died in late December, said Kirby Kruger, a state Health Department disease specialist. He refused to identify the person by name, age, gender or exact location, but said the person was involved in cleaning outbuildings that may have led to exposure to rodents that carry the hantavirus.

"What we understand about hantavirus is that these cases usually are isolated cases," Kruger said. "The carrier of this virus is a small rodent called the deer mouse. If you have rodent infestations in the area where you live and work, you are potentially at risk."

The case is the ninth case of hantavirus reported in North Dakota, Kruger said.

Two deaths have been reported since 1993, including the most recent case, he said, and officials determined that three earlier deaths also were related to the disease. A case was reported in Grand Forks County last year, and the infected person survived.

People may get the hantavirus after exposure to urine, saliva or feces from infected rodents, health officials say. It is not consider contagious.

"Generally speaking, the virus is excreted in the urine, saliva or feces of infected mice and when people are cleaning or disturbing areas where there is rodent infestation, it can get the virus into the air and people breathe it in," Kruger said.

Early symptoms may be similar to the flu, but the victims rapidly develop severe respiratory infection, he said. The risk may be higher in rural areas, and residents should try to control rodents before they start cleaning buildings, Kruger said.

"First, look at the building and find out where the mice may be getting in -whether it's your house or an outbuilding or workplace - and start cleaning up after that," he said.