SouthernWorldwide.com – Investigators in Argentina are focusing on a bird-watching tour in a region with no prior hantavirus cases as the potential origin point for a deadly outbreak on a cruise ship.
Officials are examining the possibility that a Dutch couple may have contracted the virus after visiting a landfill. They are believed to have boarded a cruise ship, potentially unknowingly carrying the virus, after their stop in Ushuaia.
The leading theory among Argentine investigators is that the Dutch couple was exposed to rodents while on their tour. This exposure is suspected to have occurred at the landfill in Ushuaia before they embarked on the cruise.
Hantavirus is typically transmitted when people inhale contaminated rodent droppings. The World Health Organization (WHO) notes that human-to-human transmission is rare but possible.
Previously, authorities had stated that Ushuaia and the surrounding Tierra del Fuego province had no recorded instances of hantavirus infections.
The Dutch-flagged MV Hondius ship is currently at the center of this hantavirus outbreak. The virus has already resulted in the deaths of three passengers, with several others falling ill.
Contact tracing efforts are underway across Europe and Africa. The goal is to identify any potential spread among passengers who have already disembarked from the ship.
Testing conducted in Switzerland, South Africa, and Senegal has confirmed that the strain of hantavirus involved is the Andes strain. This information was provided by the relevant authorities.
The WHO indicates that this particular variant is predominantly found in Argentina and Chile. While it can spread through close contact, such instances are considered infrequent.
Swiss officials reported that a man who returned from the cruise sought medical attention after exhibiting symptoms. He was promptly isolated, and subsequent tests confirmed he had contracted the Andes strain of the virus.
The Director-General of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, stated on Wednesday that three individuals with suspected hantavirus infections were evacuated from the vessel. They are being transported to the Netherlands for treatment.
Tedros further commented that, at this current stage, the overall public health risk associated with the outbreak remains low.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.
