RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) – Federal testing found no confirmed hantavirus infection connected to a recent public health concern in the Pine Ridge community, according to the Indian Health Service.
The Pine Ridge IHS said specimens collected during a recent public health evaluation were sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for testing. The CDC found no evidence of hantavirus infection in the samples.
Because of privacy protections, officials said they will not release information about specific patients, households or locations.
Health officials said hantavirus remains an environmental health risk in South Dakota because some mice naturally carry the virus. People can become infected by breathing in particles contaminated by infected rodents’ urine, droppings, saliva or nesting materials.
Hantavirus is not known to spread from person to person in the United States, so officials said there is no need to avoid friends, relatives or neighbors because of hantavirus concerns.
Symptoms can include fever, fatigue, muscle aches, headaches, coughing and difficulty breathing. Anyone who develops symptoms after exposure to rodents should contact a health care provider.
The IHS recommends wetting rodent droppings and nesting materials with disinfectant or a bleach solution before cleaning. Residents should avoid sweeping or vacuuming dry materials, which can send potentially contaminated particles into the air.
See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it.
Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send it to us here with a brief description.
Copyright 2026 KOTA. All rights reserved.