Spring cleaning the shed or cottage? Here’s how to protect yourself from hantavirus
Listen to this article
Average 3 minutes
The audio version of this article was created by AI-based technology. It can be mispronounced. We are working with our partners to continuously review and improve the results.
As Canadians begin spring cleaning, public health officials are advising them to take precautions against hantaviruses carried by rats and mice.
When clearing out sheds, cottages, cabins and garages, experts say Canadians should make sure they have the knowledge and equipment to keep themselves safe, amid concerns following a deadly outbreak on a luxury cruise ship this month.
What you should look for
Residents should be on the lookout for rodent droppings and take appropriate precautions when spring cleaning, according to Angela Rasmussen, an entomologist at the University of Saskatchewan.
“When you spring clean, you clean your pool cabinet here in Canada, we actually have rodents that can transmit hantaviruses,” she said.
As Canadian passengers from the MV Hondius ship that contracted the hantavirus return home alone, there are concerns about the possible spread of the disease. On National, Erica Johnson puts viewers’ questions to infectious disease expert Dr. Lynora Saxinger.
This disease can be transmitted to people due to the dried feces of rats, urine or saliva, according to Dr. Bonnie Henry, BC health officer. Excrement and urine can be “ventilated” when residents clean cottages before summer, he told reporters on Monday.
The strain of hantavirus seen in North America was not known to spread between people, Henry said.
There you have to be very careful
In Canada, the deer mouse, white-footed mouse and red-backed vole are known carriers of hantavirus, according to Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). These rats usually live in it countryside and medicine locations.
Farmers, landlords and landlords may be exposed, according to April warning issued by the Saskatchewan health authority.
“The risk of exposure is very high when cleaning closed or unused spaces where rats may be,” said Dr. Stanley Enebeli, chief medical officer of health at the health center, in the release.
Residents should be careful when cleaning out sheds, cabins and garages but also trailers, RVs and old cars, he said.
How can I protect myself when cleaning?
Hantavirus prevention involves two important steps: keeping rodents away and cleaning up safely, according to PHAC.
To keep cottages, cabins and sheds rat-free, residents should seal rat-sized holes, keep yards clean, keep firewood away from buildings and use rat traps, the health agency said. Food, water and waste should be kept in tightly closed containers.
If residents find sewage during spring cleaning, they should open doors and windows to ventilate the area and leave the area for at least 30 minutes, Saskatchewan health authorities said.
Before cleaning, residents should wear rubber gloves and wear a high-efficiency HEPA-filtered mask, PHAC said.
Waste should not be swept or swept away, the agency said. Instead, residents should spray the area with a disinfectant or a mixture of one part bleach to nine parts water, and let it sit for 10 minutes.
Soaked manure can be wiped up with paper towels or a mop. After cleaning, residents should wash their gloves with disinfectant and hot soapy water before removing them, and then wash their hands thoroughly, PHAC said. Any mops used on the area should also be cleaned with disinfectant and hot, soapy water.
