Woman, 42, is victim of rare illness spread by rodents

A 42-year-old woman from the US state of New Mexico died after facing a rare viral disease spread by rodents.

According to a press release from the state health department, the cause of death for the woman was hantavirus pulmonary syndrome — an infectious disease that can be infected by inhaling litter, urine, or animal saliva of white-legged hamsters.

Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome begins with fever and cough and may be accompanied by muscle pain, headache, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Soon, shortness of breath is added to these symptoms. Mortality of the disease is quite high: about 40% of patients die.