Argentina Traps 150 Rats in Ushuaia After 3 Die in Cruise Hantavirus Outbreak
Updated
Updated · NBC News · May 19
Argentina Traps 150 Rats in Ushuaia After 3 Die in Cruise Hantavirus Outbreak
11 articles · Updated · NBC News · May 19
Investigators in Ushuaia checked 150 rodent traps Tuesday, launching fieldwork to test whether hantavirus is present near the port where the MV Hondius departed.
Samples from dead rats will be collected over the next three days and sent to the Malbrán Institute in Buenos Aires, with results expected to take up to one month.
The probe follows an outbreak that killed three cruise passengers, including a Dutch couple believed to be among the first infected, and triggered international tracing of travelers and contacts.
Ushuaia and Tierra del Fuego have never recorded hantavirus, and local officials dispute the national theory that the chain began at an Ushuaia landfill.
Scientists say cases have risen in Argentina as climate change and human encroachment expand the range of colilargo rodents that can carry the Andes virus.
Did the hantavirus outbreak start in a 'safe' port or on the ship itself?
With Argentina outside the WHO, how can the world track this cruise ship virus?
Tracking the MV Hondius Hantavirus Outbreak: Ushuaia’s Rodent Search, Tourism Crisis, and Climate Threats
Overview
The report details the urgent investigation into the source of a recent hantavirus outbreak linked to the MV Hondius, focusing on Ushuaia, Argentina. Scientists and health authorities are actively searching for hantavirus in the local rodent population, as identifying the virus’s origin is crucial for public health. On May 18, 2026, researchers checked 150 traps, collected dead rats, and transported them to a temporary lab to draw blood samples. These efforts aim to determine if local rodents are carrying the virus and could be responsible for the outbreak, highlighting the importance of rapid response and thorough scientific investigation.