The southern Argentine city of Ushuaia, often promoted as the “End of the World” and a gateway to Antarctica, is facing growing international attention following the deadly hantavirus outbreak linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius.
The vessel, currently anchored near Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands, began its journey from Ushuaia on 1 April with 114 passengers and 61 crew members from 22 countries onboard. Since then, several infections and deaths linked to the Andes strain of hantavirus have been reported among passengers.
Although investigators suspect the virus may have been contracted before the cruise departed, the exact source of the outbreak remains unclear. One leading theory points to a landfill site outside Ushuaia that attracts rodents and is frequently visited by tourists interested in birdwatching.
Local authorities, however, strongly reject the idea that Tierra del Fuego province was the origin of the outbreak.
Juan Facundo Petrina, Director General of Epidemiology and Environmental Health for the province, stressed that no hantavirus cases have ever been recorded there since the disease became officially monitored in 1996.
According to Petrina, the region does not have the specific rodent species known to spread the virus, nor the environmental conditions required for its survival. He also noted that Tierra del Fuego’s island geography creates an additional natural barrier against rodent migration.
Despite these assurances, Argentina’s national government has announced a scientific investigation in Ushuaia. Experts are expected to inspect the landfill site and capture rodents to determine whether traces of the virus exist in the area.
Medical specialists believe the infected Dutch couple, who later died, may have contracted the virus weeks before arriving in Ushuaia. Their travels included several regions of Argentina, Chile and Uruguay before boarding the cruise ship.
Health officials now suspect the infection may have originated in northern Patagonia, particularly in the provinces of Chubut, Río Negro or Neuquén, where hantavirus circulation is more common.
The outbreak has also raised concerns for Ushuaia’s tourism sector, which depends heavily on Antarctic cruises and nature tourism. More than 95% of cruises heading to Antarctica depart from the city’s port.
So far, authorities say no cruise cancellations have been reported, but tourism operators remain cautious as the investigation continues.
Visitors currently in Ushuaia told reporters they were aware of the outbreak but felt reassured by the absence of confirmed local cases. Tourists continue to explore the Beagle Channel and nearby attractions as the city prepares for its winter tourism season.
Meanwhile, international health authorities continue monitoring passengers evacuated from the MV Hondius in Tenerife, hoping further medical investigations may help determine how the outbreak began.
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