Argentina Intensifies Hantavirus Watch After Cruise Outbreak
Argentine health officials have launched a coordinated nationwide surveillance effort following a deadly hantavirus outbreak linked to a cruise ship that departed from the southern port of Ushuaia. The outbreak has claimed three lives and triggered an international investigation into how the virus reached the vessel.
The “Andes Strain” Confirmed
During a high-level meeting Thursday between provincial and national health authorities, officials revealed that testing on a passenger who entered South Africa confirmed the presence of the Andes strain of hantavirus. This specific variant is endemic to southern Chile and the Argentine provinces of Chubut, Río Negro, and Neuquén.
The Andes strain is particularly concerning to health experts because it is the only known variant of hantavirus capable of person-to-person transmission. The Argentine Ministry of Health is currently conducting genomic studies to pinpoint the geographic origin of the infection and determine if the virus mutated to become more easily transmissible.
Tracing the Outbreak
Investigators are closely examining the movements of a Dutch couple who were the first to display symptoms and later died. Before boarding the MV Hondius on April 1, the couple traveled extensively through Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay. Authorities are trying to determine if they contracted the virus from rodents on land or if the infection occurred while already on board the ship.
So far in 2026, Argentina has recorded 42 cases of hantavirus. In response to the cruise ship cluster, the Ministry of Health has ordered all provinces to sensitize medical teams and intensify screening for patients presenting compatible symptoms.
Status of the MV Hondius
The MV Hondius, operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, departed from Cape Verde on Wednesday and is currently en route to the Canary Islands. The ship is expected to dock at the port of Granadilla in Tenerife in three to four days. The company reported on Thursday that there are currently “no symptomatic individuals on board.”
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the outbreak has resulted in three deaths and five additional suspected cases. While the WHO maintains that the risk to the general global population remains low, the severity of the disease is a major concern, as there is currently no vaccine or specific treatment for hantavirus.
What is Hantavirus?
Hantaviruses are zoonotic diseases typically spread by rodents. While various species exist across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, only a few cause severe illness in humans. In the Americas, infection usually occurs through the inhalation of dust contaminated by the saliva, urine, or feces of infected wild rodents. However, the Andes strain’s ability to spread between humans remains a critical focus for Argentine epidemiologists.
Image: Pexels – Vincent Delsuc
