Yosemite hantavirus cases rise to six

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SACRAMENTO, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- The number of people sickened by a rare hantavirus at Yosemite National Park has risen to six, including two fatalities, health officials say.

Officials of the California Department of Health announced the figures Thursday and confirmed a Pennsylvania man died from the disease, the Los Angeles Times reported.

A California man died earlier this month.

The other four people were all from California.

Park rangers have closed 91 cabins at the Curry Village camp site to which officials have traced the pathogen.

Park officials have sent letters or e-mail to about 2,900 people who stayed in the tent cabins June 10 to Aug. 24, alerting them to symptoms of the disease.

Hantavirus is spread through droppings, saliva or urine of infected deer mice. Its flu-like symptoms take one to six weeks to show up.