Argentine authorities are now focusing on a bird-watching excursion in Ushuaia as the likely origin of the hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship that departed from the southern city. The government's leading hypothesis suggests a Dutch couple contracted the virus during this outing before embarking.
Two officials, speaking anonymously due to the ongoing investigation and their lack of authorisation to brief the media, indicated the couple visited a landfill during their tour. It is there they may have come into contact with rodents carrying the infection.
This new line of inquiry comes despite previous assurances from authorities that Ushuaia and the wider Tierra del Fuego province had no recorded history of hantavirus cases.
Eight suspected cases of hantavirus have now been linked to the boat, the World Health Organisation said in an update on Wednesday.
Hantavirus cruise ship latest: British patient ‘no longer in critical condition’ as number of cases climbs to 8
In a positive development, a British patient who was in critical condition due to hantavirus is now reported to be stable. The number of confirmed cases on the cruise ship has risen to eight, prompting health officials to intensify their investigation.
The outbreak has raised concerns about the spread of hantavirus, a rare but potentially fatal disease transmitted through rodent droppings and urine. Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, and respiratory issues.
Authorities are tracing the movements of all passengers and crew who were on board, and are urging anyone with symptoms to seek medical attention immediately.
