First U.S. Andes Virus Case Contained Without Secondary Spread

The CDC identified the first Andes virus case in the United States in Delaware in February 2018, in a patient who had traveled to Argentina and Chile. Two high-risk contacts—a healthcare worker and family member—were traced, but neither developed infection. The containment demonstrated that existing public health protocols can effectively prevent transmission of this person-to-human hantavirus strain, which differs from North American strains by spreading through close contact with bodily fluids.