Argentine health teams conduct environmental surveillance for hantavirus in Ushuaia following cruise ship outbreak

Argentine environmental surveillance teams from the Malbrán Institute began field operations in Ushuaia on May 19, 2026, to identify potential rodent reservoirs of hantavirus linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship outbreak. Led by researcher Carla Bellomo, the team deployed approximately 200 traps across Tierra del Fuego National Park, coastal areas, and forest trails, targeting the long-tailed mouse (colilargo)—the primary reservoir for Andes South hantavirus. Initial specimens were captured and transported to a mobile biosafety laboratory for blood sampling and viral testing. The investigation follows the movement of two infected Dutch ornithologists through Neuquén, Río Negro, and Mendoza provinces before boarding the cruise. Unlike endemic Patagonian regions (Neuquén, Río Negro, Chubut), no prior hantavirus surveillance or documented human cases existed in Tierra del Fuego, requiring comprehensive environmental sampling. Positive findings will undergo genetic sequencing to confirm strain identity and contribute to a 20-country research collaboration.