Hantavirus is a virus carried by some wild rodents, including deer mice, in Washington State. Hantavirus can cause a rare but deadly disease called Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS). You can get HPS by breathing in Hantavirus. This can happen when rodent urine and droppings that contain Hantavirus are stirred up in the air.

You can also get infected by touching mouse or rodent urine, droppings or nesting materials that contain the virus, and then touching your eyes, nose or mouth. It’s also possible to get HPS from a mouse or rodent bite. 

The disease does not spread from person to person.