- International response intensifies; public risk remains low.
A birdwatching expedition to a remote landfill in Argentina has been linked to a deadly hantavirus outbreak that claimed the lives of a Dutch ornithologist and his wife, according to reports.
Leo Schilperoord, 70, a Dutch ornithologist, has been identified as “patient zero” in the outbreak connected to the cruise ship MV Hondius, the New York Post reported. The World Health Organisation has so far recorded eight confirmed cases linked to the cluster, including three deaths.
Schilperoord and his wife, Mirjam Schilperoord, were travelling across South America on a five-month trip when they visited a landfill near Ushuaia in Argentina on March 27 in search of the rare white-throated caracara bird, also known as Darwin’s caracara.
Visit to Landfill Became Critical Exposure Point
The landfill, located around four miles outside Ushuaia, was reportedly overrun with waste and avoided by local residents.
According to local guide and photographer Gaston Bretti, the site had expanded far beyond the limits originally set by authorities. Despite the conditions, the area remained a known attraction for birdwatchers hoping to spot the rare species first identified by Charles Darwin.
Investigators believe the couple inhaled virus particles from the faeces of long-tailed pygmy rice rats, which are known carriers of the Andes strain of hantavirus. Health experts later linked that exposure to the outbreak connected to the cruise ship journey.
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Cruise Voyage Followed Days After Exposure
Just four days after visiting the landfill, the Schilperoords boarded the MV Hondius alongside more than 100 passengers, including scientists and fellow birdwatchers.
On April 6, Leo Schilperoord developed symptoms including fever, headache, stomach pain and diarrhoea while onboard the vessel.
His condition rapidly deteriorated, and he died aboard the ship five days later. Investigators later described him as “patient zero”, referring to the first identified person believed to have contracted and potentially spread the infection within the outbreak cluster.
Mirjam Fell Ill During Journey Home
After her husband’s death, Mirjam Schilperoord disembarked from the vessel on April 24 at the Atlantic island of Saint Helena while accompanying his body.
She later attempted to return to the Netherlands through South Africa but became critically ill during transit. Reports said she collapsed at the airport and died the following day.
Hantavirus infection was officially confirmed in her case on May 4, according to the New York Post.
International Health Response Intensifies
The MV Hondius docked at Spain’s Canary Islands on Sunday as authorities launched a tightly controlled repatriation operation following extensive health screenings.
Officials evacuated 94 passengers and crew members from 19 countries using special flights. After refuelling, the ship was expected to continue its journey to the Netherlands with only a reduced crew on board.
Health authorities have confirmed eight hantavirus cases linked to the outbreak, while two additional cases are being treated as probable infections. The affected individuals are from six different countries.
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WHO Says Overall Public Risk Remains Low
Despite international concern surrounding the outbreak, health agencies have stressed that the broader public health threat remains limited.
So far, three deaths have been reported in connection with the outbreak, two confirmed and one considered probable.
Global health authorities have also emphasised that the current hantavirus situation is not comparable to the Covid-19 pandemic, even as monitoring and tracing efforts continue across multiple countries.
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