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VIDEO: Texas mom shares daughter’s hantavirus story as cruise ship outbreak draws attention

A Texas mom is sharing how her healthy 27-year-old daughter died in 2018 after contracting hantavirus. She hopes her daughter's story will raise awareness and that it encourages more research into hantavirus.

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Texas mother shares daughter’s hantavirus story as new outbreak draws global attention worldwide

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Updated: 10:14 PM CDT May 8, 2026

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A Texas mother is sharing her daughter’s hantavirus story as an outbreak on a cruise ship is prompting renewed medical attention.Kylie Lane died in 2018 after contracting hantavirus, her mother, Julie Barron-Wells, told KTVT.”I think a lot of people were just in shock and awe because she was a healthy 28-year-old mom and newlywed,” Barron-Wells said.Lane’s symptoms began with severe abdominal pain, which was followed by fever and difficulty breathing. Her mom said Lane visited the emergency room multiple times before doctors diagnosed the virus 10 days later.”It was excruciating. There’s, there’s really not anything you can do except for hold her hand and pray,” Barron-Wells said.After 72 days in the hospital, Lane, who was a mother, died.Lane’s family still isn’t sure exactly how she contracted the virus, Barron-Wells told KTVT’s Marissa Armas. Barron-Wells hopes her daughter’s story will raise awareness and that it encourages more research into hantavirus.Watch the video above for more.

A Texas mother is sharing her daughter’s hantavirus story as an outbreak on a cruise ship is prompting renewed medical attention.

Kylie Lane died in 2018 after contracting hantavirus, her mother, Julie Barron-Wells, told KTVT.

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“I think a lot of people were just in shock and awe because she was a healthy 28-year-old mom and newlywed,” Barron-Wells said.

Lane’s symptoms began with severe abdominal pain, which was followed by fever and difficulty breathing. Her mom said Lane visited the emergency room multiple times before doctors diagnosed the virus 10 days later.

“It was excruciating. There’s, there’s really not anything you can do except for hold her hand and pray,” Barron-Wells said.

After 72 days in the hospital, Lane, who was a mother, died.

Lane’s family still isn’t sure exactly how she contracted the virus, Barron-Wells told KTVT’s Marissa Armas.

Barron-Wells hopes her daughter’s story will raise awareness and that it encourages more research into hantavirus.

Watch the video above for more.

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