Hantavirus Outbreak in Argentina: Tourism Hotspot Denies Blame, Rodents & Birders Debate Risks

A public health dispute has emerged between national and local authorities in Argentina following a hantavirus outbreak on the Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius. The vessel is currently anchored in Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands, where passengers are being evacuated and flown home.

The ship began its journey on April 1, 2026, in Ushuaia, located in the province of Tierra del Fuego. On board were 61 crew members and 114 passengers representing 22 different countries.

While it is believed the virus came aboard in Ushuaia, the precise origin of the infection remains a subject of intense disagreement. National health authorities in Argentina have identified a landfill site on the outskirts of Ushuaia as the most likely source of the outbreak.

The leading hypothesis from federal officials suggests that two Dutch tourists contracted the virus while bird-watching at the rubbish dump, where waste attracts rodents.

Local officials in the southernmost South American archipelago have vehemently rejected these claims. Juan Facundo Petrina, the Director General of Epidemiology and Environmental Health for the province of Tierra del Fuego, disputed the assertions during a press conference in Ushuaia on May 8, 2026.

Petrina stated that Tierra del Fuego has no historical record of hantavirus cases. He specifically noted that the province does not have a history of the Andes variant implicated in the cruise ship outbreak, contrasting the region with Argentine provinces located further north.

Petrina highlighted the travel timeline of the deceased Dutch couple, noting they spent only two days in Tierra del Fuego during a broader four-month journey across Chile and Argentina. He argued that this short duration dramatically reduces the likelihood that the infection happened here.

The disagreement has extended beyond epidemiological data to include criticisms of how the investigation was handled. Petrina claimed that federal officials failed to contact local authorities directly, instead learning of the alleged link to Ushuaia through media reports.

During the May 8 press conference, Petrina expressed concern over the impact of these claims on the region’s reputation as a tourism gateway.

I believe we are facing a smear campaign against this destination

Juan Facundo Petrina, Director General of Epidemiology and Environmental Health for Tierra del Fuego

Ushuaia serves as a primary gateway for tourists exploring Patagonia and trips to Antarctica. In the previous year, the remote town saw more than 157,000 cruise passengers, a figure that is nearly double the town’s local population.

As passengers continue to be evacuated from the MV Hondius in Tenerife, the discrepancy between federal hypotheses and provincial health records leaves the exact origin of the Andes virus outbreak unresolved.