Argentina’s city “at the end of the world,” Ushuaia, the jump-off point for expeditions to the Antarctic, is laboring under suspicion of being the source of the deadly hantavirus outbreak that killed three cruise ship passengers. The MV Hondius set sail from this spectacular Patagonian port, sandwiched between snow-capped mountains and the South Atlantic, on April 1.
It’s a shame Ushuaia is getting blamed. The MV Hondius sailed on April 1, but hantavirus has a long incubation period—could’ve been picked up anywhere during the trip.
I was in Ushuaia last March and loved it, but this outbreak is scary. Hope officials find the real source before tourism takes a hit.
Three cruise passengers dead? That’s terrifying. The article says they were on the Hondius—did they go hiking near rodent habitats before boarding?
Ushuaia shrugged off suspicions all it wants, but being the departure point for that ship is a bad look. They need to prove it’s not from the local area.
As someone planning an Antarctic trip, I’m rethinking my travel insurance. The article says Ushuaia is sandwiched between mountains and sea—beautiful, but not worth the risk if hantavirus lingers.
GPs are stretched thinner than ever and patient care is suffering as a result.