Argentina Reports 101 Hantavirus Cases, Doubling After El Niño Fueled Rodent Boom
Updated
Updated · WIRED · May 20
Argentina Reports 101 Hantavirus Cases, Doubling After El Niño Fueled Rodent Boom
1 articles · Updated · WIRED · May 20
101 confirmed hantavirus cases have been recorded in Argentina since last June, with most clustered in central provinces and tied to the Lechiguanas strain carried by Oligoryzomys flavescens.
El Niño-driven rains in 2025 followed years of drought, boosting vegetation and food supplies that helped rodent populations surge and raised virus transmission through bites, saliva, urine and feces.
Scientists say enclosed spaces such as sheds, cabins and houses can prolong viral persistence, while warmer seasons and expanding human activity in altered landscapes increase contact with contaminated surfaces.
Researchers also warn the risk map is shifting beyond Patagonia, with cases appearing in new areas as climate change, land-use change and adaptable rodent hosts reshape exposure across the Southern Cone.
With no vaccine for hantavirus strains in the Americas, experts say broader surveillance and prevention campaigns are critical, especially in regions that historically received less monitoring.
As climate change pushes deadly viruses toward cities, are we prepared for the next zoonotic spillover?
With a promising vaccine candidate in development, how far are we from preventing deadly hantavirus outbreaks?