San Diego County environmental health officials are keeping a close eye on Los Peñasquitos after a western harvest mouse trapped near the historic ranch house tested positive for hantavirus, marking the county’s first rodent detection of 2026. The virus is known to circulate in wild rodents, but county staff stress that human exposure is rare and that routine monitoring is in place.
Where the Positive Mouse Was Found
The county’s hantavirus activity log lists the western harvest mouse as testing positive last Thursday, the first confirmed rodent detection of the year, according to San Diego County Vector Control. The program routinely traps and tests wild mice, then posts any positive results on its current activity page so the public can track where…..