Be careful when gardening and spring cleaning – the hantavirus lurks here. There is currently no vaccine against the virus, but the symptoms can usually be treated easily and those affected often do not suffer any long-term effects.
Hantaviruses usually enter the human body via the respiratory tract or mucous membranes - for example through blown-up dust. However, you can also become infected with the virus if the dust gets into an open wound. Washing hands thoroughly after gardening or during spring cleaning is recommended to prevent infection.