Need To Ease Hauntavirus Anxiety? Identify The Mice Caught In Your Traps

Boy, COVID-19 sure did a number on us. We've been hearing in the news about the Hantavirus cases that started on a cruise ship, and people immediately start to worry about the next pandemic. My middle-school daughter was worried about the deadly virus, especially as we have had mice enter our house this spring. (Like they do every year.)

I still haven't figured out where the mice are coming in, but we've been trapping and disposing of the mice, all while cleaning and thoroughly washing our hands.

Hauntavirus Cases In Minnesota + Wisconsin Are Extremely Rare

The truth is, there have been hardly any cases in Minnesota or Wisconsin in the last 30 years. One person is currently being monitored as they were exposed to someone overseas who tested positive for the virus. Since 1993, there have been 2 cases of the virus in Minnesota.

Related: If You Find These Tiny Holes In Your Yard, You've Got A Problem

The Type Of Mice In Minnesota + Wisconsin That Carry The Hauntavirus

There's only one type of Hauntavirus that spreads from person to person, and that's the Andes virus. Otherwise, people get sick when they are exposed to mice's urine, saliva, or droppings. Your common house mouse doesn't carry the virus. The deer mouse does. Both mice are native to the Midwest. So I was curious to know what kind of mice we've been catching in our house or garage.

Common House Mouse - Doesn't Carry Hauntavirus

The easiest way to tell the difference between the common house mouse and the deer mouse is by their color. The common house mouse is brown to gray in color, but usually only one color. These mice poop everywhere. That's how you know if you have mice.

Deer Mouse - Same Color As White-tailed Deer, Can Carry Hauntavirus

The deer mouse is usually brown, with a white belly.

Deer mice like wooded and grassy areas, and typically aren't found in urban settings, unless those urban locations are surrounded by forests.

Just because you find a deer mouse doesn't mean you're going to get the hauntavirus. The CDC suggests that you find and seal gaps in your home where mice are getting in. You should also set traps to keep it from becoming a larger infestation.

This video from Frederick Dunn does a great job explaining the differences and how to tell them apart.