Colorado Hiker With COVID Symptoms Diagnosed With A Rare Disease

A hiker from Bailey Colorado, Sue Ryan feels lucky to be alive after experiencing COVID-like symptoms except...it wasn't COVID.

Instead, it was a rare disease called Hantavirus, an extremely rare and often fatal disease. According to UC Health, there have been 151 cases in Colorado since 1993.

She had headaches and a high fever along with having a hard time breathing (all symptoms that are typically signs of COVID.) Ryan took a COVID test which came back negative and then her symptoms worsened. She went back to the hospital, took ANOTHER test and once again...negative. Doctors then performed several other tests on the woman who said she started feeling her symptoms shortly after a hike and camping trip along the Colorado Trail.

After several other tests, doctors determined that she indeed had the Hantavirus which produced fluid around her lungs and heart and is transmitted in the air through deer and mice droppings.

Source: KDVR Fox 31 Denver