Belmont Park worker likely died of bacterial sepsis, not rare rodent-borne virus, New York State Department of Health reports

ByEyewitness News WABC logo
Saturday, June 23, 2018
Belmont Park worker dies of suspected rare rodent-borne virus
Diana Williams has more on the death of a Belmont Park worker.

ELMONT, Long Island (WABC) -- Test results show that a worker at Belmont Park likely died of bacterial sepsis and not a rare rodent-borne virus (hantavirus,) the New York State Health Department reports.

After clinical specimens were sent to the federal Center for Disease Control and prevention, the results returned a negative result for hantavirus. Results showed that the probable cause of death was bacterial sepsis.

Bacterial sepsis is a condition in which the infectious agent, a bacteria known as Klebsiella, is spread throughout the body. Bacteria sepsis is life-threatening if the immune system is overwhelmed.

The Belmont worker, who has not yet been identified, was found unconscious on June 1st outside the housing unit in the Belmont backstretch where they lived.

The worker was transported to the hospital and died on June 6th.

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