Argentine City Ushuaia Strives to Clear Hantavirus Origin Suspicions

Argentina's Ushuaia, a gateway to Antarctic expeditions, is working to dispel suspicions of being the origin point for a deadly hantavirus outbreak that killed three cruise ship passengers.

Wed May 13 2026

Ushuaia Faces Hantavirus Origin Suspicions

Ushuaia, Argentina's southernmost city and a departure point for Antarctic expeditions, is under scrutiny as a suspected source of a fatal hantavirus outbreak. The city, nestled between snow-capped mountains and the South Atlantic, has been implicated following an incident aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship. The vessel departed from Ushuaia on April 1, and five days later, a Dutch man who had traveled through South America with his wife for birdwatching developed symptoms.

Outbreak Follows Cruise Ship Departure

The symptoms in the Dutch man emerged five days after the MV Hondius set sail from Ushuaia. This hantavirus outbreak subsequently led to the deaths of three cruise ship passengers, prompting suspicions about Ushuaia being the point of origin. Authorities are now actively working to clarify that the city was not the source of the virus's spread.

*Source: SCMP (2026-05-13)*

Tags: #Argentina #Ushuaia #Hantavirus #CruiseShip #Outbreak