An inmate at California’s notorious San Quentin prison has exhibited hantavirus symptoms, sparking concerns of a potential outbreak in a superspreader environment.
Hantavirus drew a significant amount of public attention after an outbreak infected several American citizens on the MV Hondius cruise ship traveling around the world.
The prison, located in Marin County, is still awaiting federal and state testing results to determine if the 38-year-old male inmate has hantavirus, ABC 7 reported.
There have yet to be any confirmed cases of hantavirus at the prison, officials said.
“The health and safety of the incarcerated population and staff remain CDCR’s top priority,” a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation spokesperson told the San Francisco Chronicle.
The prison, officially known as the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, houses more than 3,000 inmates.
The facility where the sick prisoner was housed has been disinfected, and medical staff will monitor inmates and staff for symptoms indicative of possible exposure.
Officials at the prison believe the inmate’s sickness was not caused by person-to-person contact and no quarantine has been announced.
A prison official did not know whether the inmate was still being treated at the medical unit or had been returned to his regular housing facility, ABC 7 reported.
