The Woodlands, Texas – Montgomery County health officials have confirmed that a woman has tested positive for Hantavirus.
Officials said the woman was infected while cleaning out a home on the 1100 block of Slash Pines Road. The two story house was being featured in a Discovery Channel program about hoarding.
Hantavirus is an airborne virus contracted by only breathing it from dried rodent urine and feces, not person to person.
Officials have located the other 29 people involved in cleaning the home.
"We are fortunate in this circumstance because we now know to suspect it. So if any of the people who have been exposed, come down with the symptoms, they can seek treatment quickly and be tested for Hantavirus," said Dr. Mark Escott with Montgomery County Health Department.
The home has been quarantined and taped off, and neighbors are aware of the woman's diagnosis.
Dr. Escott says so far only person has been effected by the Hantavirus. But there is concern the disease, caused by rodents, could spread in the area.
"If there are rodents in area that have hantavirus, it could be in and around other peoples homes. Always best to be cautious," Dr. Escott said.
Local 2 has learned that about 200 books inside the home were donated to the non-profit Friends of the Houston Public Library, and are inside the building.
A sign on the door says "The Friends of the Houston Public Library Warehouse is closed until further notice."
A spokesperson says the organization was notified on Thursday of the potential health threat and said none of the books have been distributed since the donation.
In a statement the group says "Because the friends could not positively identify all of the books, after consulting with infectious disease specialists, it took the immediate action of closing the warehouse and suspending all operations at the warehouse site, pending the health department's investigation
Symptoms mimic the flu: headaches, fever, and body aches.
The latest outbreaks have been at Yosemite National Park with eight confirmed cases and three deaths.
Federal officials have now expanded a worldwide alert to all those who have vacationed at Yosemite this summer.