Argentinian city "at the end of the world" denies being source of hantavirus
Ushuaia, Argentina's southernmost city, enjoys a reputation as the "end of the world" and a gateway for expeditions to Antarctica. However, in recent days, the city has faced a different kind of notoriety: the assumption that it might be the zero point of a hantavirus outbreak on the Dutch vessel MV Hondius.
Ushuaia. Photo: AP Photo / Joel Reyero
The cruise ship is currently anchored in the Spanish Canary Islands, with passengers evacuated and flown home. The MV Hondius voyage began on April 1st, about 10,000 kilometers from Ushuaia, in the province of Tierra del Fuego. On board were 114 passengers and 61 crew members from 22 countries.
While it is believed that the virus came aboard there, its exact source remains unknown, writes the BBC. One theory suggests that a passenger could have been infected at a landfill on the outskirts of Ushuaia, where tourists often observe birds and where waste attracts rodents.
However, local authorities have not accepted this version. "In Tierra del Fuego, throughout its history, we have not had a single case of hantavirus," said Juan Facundo Petrina, the province's chief epidemiologist. He emphasized that the virus's endemic zone is more than 1500 km to the north.
"Firstly, we do not have the long-tailed mouse subspecies [which carries the disease], and we do not have the same climatic conditions as northern Patagonia — neither in terms of humidity nor temperature — that would favor its development," he said. "And if rodents were to start moving — since they do not respect geographical boundaries — it should be remembered that we are an island."
For the province, this is a matter not only of science but also of economics. Tourism is a significant source of income, and over 95% of vessels heading to Antarctica depart from this very port.
For now, there are no official cruise cancellations, and life in the port continues as usual.
Health authorities are still trying to determine where the infection occurred. They believe that the Dutch couple who contracted the virus and died were likely the zero patient.
Officials are reconstructing their route through Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay before boarding the ship in Ushuaia.
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