Tbh it's not that farfetched to say they didn't caught it in Argentina.
The Dutch couple also traveled through Chile and Uruguay before arriving in Argentina. I know Chile has a well documented and active history with the Andes virus.
But Argentina also is self interested in protecting their tourism brand in the south and are dismissive of possibility of the virus expanding range further south due to climate change.
so idk..
39
-drunk_russian-5 days ago
+29
Authorities are investigating a landfill 7km away from Ushuaia that the tourists went near of while bird-watching. The locals avoid the place because it's literally a dump, it's now being investigated if there are infected rodents there.
So far there are no reported cases in the city proper.
https://elpais.com/argentina/2026-05-08/el-basurero-de-ushuaia-uno-de-los-puntos-que-rastrea-argentina-por-el-brote-de-hantavirus-del-crucero.html
29
Nepridiprav164 days ago
+14
It's kinda crazy the cruise was even allowed to host excursion on bird watching near a landfill.
Expedition style cruise voyages need to get heavily regulated where they are allowed to go.
14
Tessablu4 days ago
+24
The landfill birding trip was prior to embarkation, not a part of the expedition. And polar ship excursions are VERY highly regulated.
24
HappySlappyMan4 days ago
+6
I know. I'm sorry, but I was informed we were headed to a landfill as part of an excursion, I'd say no way in hell!
6
Tessablu4 days ago
+13
It was not a part of an excursion. Ushuaia was the embarkation point and they birded in the area prior to leaving.
13
HappySlappyMan4 days ago
-2
Did they just venture in there on their own? I'm assuming some guide from somewhere took them there, cruise ship or not.
-2
Tessablu4 days ago
+6
I don't know if that information has been released, but it equally could have been either with a guide or on their own. There are birding tours in Ushuaia, but birders will also go to some pretty weird places to bird. I say this as a birder who drove past that exact landfill a few months ago and was struck by the number of birds present around it...
6
PorkProofPrion4 days ago
+7
But that's where all the birds are
7
Gigi_Langostino4 days ago
+11
First time I saw a bald eagle in the wild it was eating out of a dumpster in Victoria, BC.
11
-drunk_russian-4 days ago
That's the thing. Were they informed in the first place? The liability is on the company.
0
Tessablu4 days ago
+8
It is not on the company, because it was not part of an excursion.
8
Mysterious-Tie51364 days ago
+6
The type of rodent that is known to carry the Andes strain is not native to Tierra del Fuego (area is 1500 kms away in the Comarca Andina near El Bolsón). They are testing rodents in the area but they have never seen an outbreak there. I don’t think anyone is trying to hide anything - Argentinian newspapers say that they could have caught it elsewhere in Argentina but it is unlikely to be in Tierra del Fuego. https://www.lanacion.com.ar/sociedad/hantavirus-por-que-un-basural-de-ushuaia-quedo-bajo-sospecha-en-el-brote-en-el-crucero-y-que-dice-la-nid08052026/
6
Infodataplace5 days ago
+1
2026 really said “remember covid? anyway here’s a luxury cruise hantavirus outbreak” 😭
And now authorities are like “the math doesnt add up” bro this sounds less like health news and more like the start of a netflix disaster series
15 Comments