Health officials in Argentina are working to determine if the country is the source of a deadly hantavirus outbreak that occurred aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship. The investigation is underway as reports emerge that several infected passengers have already returned to their home countries.
Impact on Passengers and International Spread
The outbreak has resulted in three deaths among passengers on the vessel. Additional casualties include one passenger currently in intensive care at a hospital in South Africa and three others who were evacuated from the ship. The reach of the virus extended beyond those currently on board, as one man who departed the ship earlier in the voyage subsequently tested positive for the virus in Switzerland.
Understanding the Andes Virus
The passengers tested positive for the Andes virus, a specific strain of hantavirus found in South America. This rodent-borne pathogen can lead to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a severe and frequently fatal respiratory disease. According to the Argentine health ministry, this disease has proven particularly lethal recently, causing death in nearly a third of all cases over the past year.
Rising Incidence in Argentina
The World Health Organization consistently ranks Argentina as having the highest incidence of hantavirus in Latin America. Public health data indicates a significant increase in domestic cases; the Argentine health ministry reported 101 hantavirus infections since June 2025, a figure that is roughly double the number of infections recorded in the previous year.
Ongoing Investigation
Experts and government officials are currently conducting contact tracing to identify the exact source of the contamination. The cruise to Antarctica departed from Argentina, prompting investigators to focus on whether the virus was contracted within the country prior to the ship’s departure.
