Argentina is in the spotlight as global health authorities investigate a recent hantavirus outbreak linked to the Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius. Three passengers died from the virus. And the World Health Organization (WHO) is examining whether transmission occurred before the ship’s departure from Argentina, according to reports.

Historical Context of Hantavirus in Argentina

Argentina first documented person-to-person transmission of hantavirus in rural Patagonia in the 1990s; Prior to this, the virus was known only to spread through contact with rodents. A major case occurred nearly a decade ago when an infected 68-year-old rural worker attended a birthday party, leading to 11 deaths.

These historical cases are being revisited after the recent deaths on the MV Hondius. Although the exact source of infection is not yet confirmed, the WHO has ruled out an epidemic and is focusing on potential transmission before the passengers boarded the ship.

Andes Strain and Recent Statistics

Tests on surviving passengers confirmed they were infected with the Andes strain of hantavirus, the only strain known to transmit between humans, this strain is primarily found in parts of Argentina and Chile. Since July 2024. Argentina has recorded 101 hantavirus cases, with 32 deaths, a slight increase from previous years.

Dr. Roberto Debbag. An infectious disease specialist and vice-president of the Latin American Society of Vaccinology, noted that Argentina has been dealing with hantavirus cases for decades. “Since the 1996 cases. There have always been outbreaks. But nothing has really changed. ” he said. Though the country made hantavirus reporting mandatory after those initial cases and has since maintained a consistent pattern of infections.

Dr. Raúl González Ittig, a biologist and professor at the National University of Córdoba, attributed the recent rise in cases to changes in rodent behavior. A severe drought in 2023 and 2024 was followed by increased rainfall, leading to more vegetation and food for rodents. “Global climate change is altering everything, and that could lead to hantavirus cases in areas where they had not previously occurred,” Ittig said.

Global Impact and Political Concerns

While Argentina’s hantavirus cases remain within historical averages, the country has the highest number of cases in Latin America. Scientists attribute this to climate change and ecological imbalances, including the loss of natural predators. The WHO reports that most annual hantavirus cases—up to 100,000—are found in Asia and Europe, where the fatality rate is up to 15%, compared to 50% in the Americas.

Argentina’s health ministry is working to determine where the infection on the MV Hondius may have occurred. Plans include capturing rodents along the route of the first infected passengers, who had been in the country since 27 November. The ministry emphasized that it is “not confirmed that the infection occurred in Argentina,” noting that Tierra del Fuego, the province from which the ship departed, has not had a confirmed case in the past 30 years.

The WHO director general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has urged Argentina to reconsider its decision to leave the organization, a move formalized in March by President Javier Milei. Ghebreyesus emphasized that “viruses don’t care about our politics and they don’t care about our borders,” and that “solidarity is our best immunity.”

Ittig criticized Milei’s decision as part of a broader issue with the president’s policies, including deep spending cuts in science, education, and healthcare. “The experience and knowledge to tackle the hantavirus exist, and Argentina has them,” he said. “The problem is that investment is needed, and that is not what is happening now.”