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Suspected hantavirus case in Illinois tests negative, health officials say

By Cody King
Published  May 18, 2026 1:11pm CDT
Health
FOX 32 Chicago

The Brief

    • Illinois health officials said a suspected hantavirus case in Winnebago County tested negative and is no longer considered a potential case.
    • The possible case, announced May 12, was believed to be linked to exposure to rodent droppings while cleaning a home and was not connected to the cruise ship outbreak.
    • No confirmed hantavirus cases have been reported in Illinois, and officials said the overall risk to residents remains very low.

ILLINOIS - Illinois health officials say a suspected hantavirus case in northern Illinois that was believed to be unrelated to the cruise ship outbreak has tested negative.

What we know:

The Illinois Department of Public Health said Monday that testing for the possible hantavirus case in Winnebago County did not detect the virus.

"The resident is no longer considered a potential case of hantavirus and no further public health action is needed," the department said.

Health officials first announced the suspected case May 12 and said at the time it was not connected to the cruise ship outbreak.

Officials initially believed the person may have been exposed while cleaning a home containing rodent droppings. The individual experienced mild symptoms and was not hospitalized.

What we don't know:

It remains unclear what illness the person contracted, and officials have not released additional details.

Illinois has not confirmed any hantavirus cases to date.

Dig deeper:

Health officials said the risk of contracting hantavirus in Illinois remains very low.

Officials recommend preventing rodents from entering homes and using safe cleaning practices when handling rodent droppings or contaminated areas.

The Source: The information in this article was provided by the Illinois Department of Public Health. 

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