A team of 11 biologists and national-parks staff began setting rodent traps on the outskirts of Ushuaia, Argentina, on Monday — part of an urgent investigation into whether hantavirus is circulating in the region. The probe was triggered by a deadly outbreak aboard the cruise ship Hondius, which departed Ushuaia on April 1. Three passengers died, and several others were infected, prompting health alerts in multiple countries.
Wearing gloves, masks, and full protective gear, the specialists placed traps near Baliza Escarpados and in nearby wooded areas as dusk fell. The goal: determine whether local rodent populations carry the virus and whether the southern tip of South America harbours a reservoir that could fuel future outbreaks.
