Argentina Sends Experts to Ushuaia Following Hantavirus Outbreak

Argentine health authorities are sending a scientific mission to Ushuaia to capture and analyze rodents following a hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship [1, 2].

The mission aims to determine if the specific rodents that transmit the Andes hantavirus are present in this heavily touristic region [1, 2]. Because the virus can be fatal and spreads through contact with infected animals, identifying the local reservoir is critical to preventing further clusters among travelers and residents.

The investigation follows an outbreak on the cruise ship MV Hondius, which departed from Ushuaia in early April 2026 ^[4]. According to reports, eight cases of hantavirus infection were reported on the vessel ^[3]. Of those cases, five were confirmed and three died ^[3].

Argentine officials from the Ministry of Health and a team of scientific experts are coordinating the response [1, 2]. As part of the effort to trace the virus, authorities identified two Dutch citizens as patient zero ^[5].

The mission, announced on May 7, 2026, involves experts traveling to Tierra del Fuego to conduct field research over the following weeks ^[2]. The team will focus on capturing rodents to verify if the local wildlife carries the strain responsible for the MV Hondius infections ^[2].

This effort to retrace the itinerary of the initial patients is intended to map the potential points of exposure in the region ^[1]. By analyzing the rodent population in Ushuaia, the Ministry of Health said it hopes to establish whether the virus is endemic to the area or was introduced through other means.