Image Credits: Image Title: Tierra del Fuego Official Says ‘Almost Zero’ Chance Dutch Tourist Contracted Hantavirus in Ushuaia. Source: (chatgpt.com) Date: May 2026. Attribution: This image was created using AI-generated imagery (chatgpt.com) by Open Chronicle and does not depict a real-world scene.
By Open Chronicle with agencies
Health authorities in Tierra del Fuego said Friday there is an “almost zero” chance that a Dutch tourist linked to the hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship contracted the disease in the southern Argentine city of Ushuaia.
The statement came from Juan Petrina during a press conference addressing growing international concerns over the outbreak connected to the expedition vessel.
Juan Facundo Petrina, doctor en Epidemiología y Salud Ambienta, sobre el hantavirus:
"Es muy baja la probabilidad, casi nula, de que el contagio se produjese en Tierra del Fuego" pic.twitter.com/2mktnCUqTt
— RTVE Noticias (@rtvenoticias) May 8, 2026
Timeline Does Not Match Infection Window
Petrina explained that the conclusion was based largely on the known incubation period of hantavirus.
The Dutch man and his wife, both aged 69, boarded the MV Hondius in Ushuaia on April 1 after reportedly spending approximately 48 hours in the city before departure.
According to Petrina, the man first developed symptoms on April 6 while the ship was already at sea.
“The time frames do not correspond to a possible infection in Ushuaia,” he said.
The World Health Organization states that hantavirus incubation periods generally range from one to six weeks, though symptoms most commonly appear after two to three weeks.
WHO technical officer Anais Legand confirmed those estimates in comments to Agence France-Presse.
Investigation Continues Across Multiple Countries
Authorities are still attempting to determine where the Dutch couple may have been exposed to the virus during their travels across South America.
Before boarding the cruise ship, the couple had reportedly traveled through Chile, Uruguay, and other regions of Argentina.
Petrina said officials could not confirm media reports suggesting the couple visited a dump site in Ushuaia where infected rodents may have been present.
An Argentine health official speaking anonymously said authorities believe the couple explored parts of Ushuaia independently rather than through organized tours.
Rare Andes Strain Under Scrutiny
The outbreak has drawn particular attention because some infected individuals aboard the MV Hondius were reportedly linked to the Andes strain of hantavirus, the only known variant capable of limited human-to-human transmission through prolonged close contact.
Petrina noted that the Andes strain has not been detected in Tierra del Fuego province since 1996.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus previously said the Dutch couple had visited locations where rodent species known to carry the Andes strain are present.
Chilean authorities have already ruled out the possibility that the couple became infected while traveling in Chile.
Cruise Ship Outbreak Remains Under Investigation
The MV Hondius outbreak has sparked international monitoring efforts after multiple passengers became ill during the voyage.
Health agencies in several countries continue tracking former passengers and close contacts while experts work to determine the precise source of the infections.
Although concerns remain over the Andes strain’s unusual transmission capability, health officials continue to stress that hantavirus does not spread easily between people and that the wider public risk remains low.