Argentine investigators have launched a rat-trapping operation in forests near Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, to detect hantavirus in an area previously considered unaffected by the deadly pathogen. The fieldwork, conducted by scientists from the state-backed Malbrán Institute, seeks to identify the source of a hantavirus outbreak that resulted in three deaths and multiple illnesses on the MV Hondius cruise ship last month.
Trapping and Testing
Scientists are collecting dead rats from 150 box traps for blood sampling at a makeshift laboratory, with samples then transported to Buenos Aires for hantavirus testing, a process expected to take up to one month. The investigation aims to determine if the hantavirus, particularly the Andes virus spread by the 'colilargo' rat subspecies, is present in Tierra del Fuego, as local officials dispute the national government's initial theory that the outbreak originated in Ushuaia.
Local and National Disagreement
Local health authorities support the broader objective of the inquiry to assess the existence of hantavirus in the region, especially amid concerns that climate change could be expanding the range of virus-carrying rodents. The operation underscores the need for accurate data to inform public health responses and prevent future outbreaks.
