In 1993, the Southwestern region of the Four Corners, where the borders of New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and Utah meet, had nearly 30 cases of acute hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) and 16 deaths from Sin Nombre Virus (SNV), caused by deer mice. As the region overlaps with the Navajo Nation, the Navajo people faced public shame for the rise in the disease, and were blamed for its consequences.
In this case study, Whitegeese describes the lead-up and the aftermath of the HPS outbreak, emphasizing the importance of coordination between organizations, investigators, disease specialists, and cultural representation to address public health outbreaks accurately. Whitegeese discusses how this outbreak highlighted the need for cultural knowledge in disease investigations.