Hantavirus cases in Argentina nearly double in a year. Argentina has seen a sharp increase in hantavirus infections and related deaths. Authorities are investigating an outbreak on a cruise ship and link the situation to climate change and habitat destruction.
In Argentina, the number of confirmed hantavirus cases has nearly doubled over the past year, and mortality has reached its highest level since 2018. According to the country's Ministry of Health, from June 2025, 101 infections and 32 deaths have been recorded, which is 10 percentage points higher than last year's figure. The spike in cases coincided with an investigation into an outbreak aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius, which departed from Ushuaia and is now headed for the Canary Islands.
Investigation amid alarming statistics
Argentine authorities are trying to trace the journey of the Dutch couple who died after traveling around the country and taking part in a cruise where the outbreak occurred. Official data shows the couple crossed the Chilean border several times, visited Uruguay, and traveled to the provinces of Misiones and Neuquén—regions traditionally considered high-risk areas. Meanwhile, in Ushuaia itself, according to the ministry, no hantavirus cases have been recorded for decades.
Geography and patterns of spread
Hantavirus is considered endemic to several Argentinian regions: the Northwest (Salta, Jujuy, Tucuman), the Northeast (Misiones, Formosa, Chaco), the Center (Buenos Aires, Santa Fe, Entre Rios), and the South (Neuquén, Río Negro, Chubut). This season, the highest number of cases has been detected in the central part of the country, with Buenos Aires province leading with 42 infections. The outbreak on MV Hondius is linked to the Andes strain of the virus, which in rare cases can be transmitted between people through close contact.
Climatic factors and new threats
Experts attribute the rise in incidence to climate change and the destruction of natural ecosystems. Increased humidity, extreme weather events, as well as the expansion of agricultural and suburban areas, create conditions for the spread of rodents—the primary carriers of the virus. According to infectious disease specialist Eduardo López, the long-tailed mouse, the main hantavirus carrier in Argentina and Chile, is highly adaptable to climate changes, which contributes to the increase in infections. Wildfires, which force people and animals to move, and the growth of domestic tourism—visiting overgrown, uncleared areas raises the risk of infection—are also factors.
Authorities’ actions and disputed theories
The Ministry of Health is sending specialists to Ushuaia to capture and analyze rodents in areas connected to the route taken by the deceased couple. However, Juan Petrina, director of the provincial epidemiological service of Tierra del Fuego, stated that the time frame of the tourists' stay in the region does not coincide with the incubation period of the disease. He also denied rumors that the couple visited a landfill in Ushuaia, emphasizing that this information has not been confirmed at the national level.
Outbreaks of infections related to wildlife are becoming increasingly relevant in South American countries. In neighboring Catalonia, authorities have recently strengthened efforts to combat African swine fever among wild boars by involving hunters and special teams — more details about this can be found in the article about new measures to control the spread of infection among animals..
