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Mice droppings and urine could lead to fatal disease

The Arizona Department of Health Services is urging people heading to their summer homes to be careful, during the cleaning process. Epidemiologist Joli Weiss says they need to watch for signs of mice droppings or urine that could lead to deadly hantavirus.

Where gloves and masks when you’re cleaning out your cabins,” Weiss said. “If there are signs of rodents mess, you know heavy infestation; you know maybe contacting a pest control agency to do some of the clean up for you.”

Weiss says there has been one fatal case of hantavirus, in Graham County , already this year. Only one confirmed case was reported in the state last year.