An adult in Douglas County, Colorado, dies after contracting a hantavirus through local exposure to rodents, according to state and federal public health officials. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment says the case is not connected to an outbreak associated with a cruise ship. Officials also report that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found no evidence of Andes hantavirus cases tied to that cruise ship situation. The state’s release indicates the individual’s illness is consistent with hantavirus spread in the local environment rather than travel-related exposure. Public health authorities emphasize that hantaviruses can be carried by rodents and that exposure can occur when people come into contact with rodent droppings, urine, or nesting materials. They continue to assess the case details and recommend that residents take precautions to reduce rodent contact. No link to the cruise ship outbreak is reported in the available information from both outlets.