Birders push back on hantavirus fears tied to Argentine city

The hantavirus outbreak on a cruise that departed from Argentina last month has cast an unwelcome spotlight on Tierra del Fuego, a region well known for its biodiversity and bird-watching, authorities and guides say

The hantavirus outbreak on a cruise that departed from Argentina last month has cast an unwelcome spotlight on Tierra del Fuego, a region well known for its biodiversity and bird-watching, authorities and guides say.

Subscribe to read this story ad-free

Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.

Now, bird-watching may be at the epicenter of the outbreak on board the MV Hondius, in which three people have died and five others were sickened. The World Health Organization has said the first person with a confirmed case may have been exposed to rodents — which can carry hantavirus — while on a birding trip.

The farthest stretches of the South American continent are a strong draw for bird-watchers, National Geographic author and birding expert Noah Strycker said.