Details
This course is applicable to anyone who is liable to come in contact with mouse urine/droppings during their day. Farming, industrial, commercial, pest-control, manufacturing and residential are a few of the industries where participants could be at risk.
Upon successfully completion of this course, participants will retain a 3 year certification in Hantavirus Awareness.
Course Description
Hantavirus is virus that can be transmitted to humans and in some cases cause serious illness and death. Humans may become infected with hantaviruses through contact with rodent urine, saliva or feces. Some strains of hantaviruses cause potentially fatal diseases in humans, such as hantavirus hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS).
Human infections of hantaviruses have almost entirely been linked to human contact with rodent excrement, but recent human-to-human transmission has been reported as well.
Although there are virus-infected deer mice— the primary cause of the disease— all across Canada, by June 2015, there had been only one documented case of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in eastern Canada. Most cases occured in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba in the west. The total of confirmed cases in Canada was 109; about thirty per cent of those infected died. (Source: Centre for Disease Control – Hantavirus).
Proper identification, safe handling and disposal techniques will aid in the protection of the worker and those around them.
This 4 hour Hantavirus Awareness Calgary course is designed to provide the students with an understanding of the following:
Course Objectives
- Recent history of hantavirus
- Risk groups by occupation of those most at risk
- Hazards associated with exposure
- Personal protective equipment
- Safe work practices during exposure