There is a suggestion: the first to contract hantavirus was the ornithologist who visited the rat-infested dump.
The presumed first victim of hantavirus on the cruise liner MV Hondius has been identified as 70-year-old Dutch ornithologist Leo Schilperord, who was passionate about birdwatching, reports the Daily Star.
Together with his 69-year-old wife Mirjam, they were on a five-month ornithological expedition in South America. On March 27, the couple visited a dump on the outskirts of Ushuaia — a place that locals call "the end of the world." This dump, teeming with rats, is a popular spot among birdwatchers, as it is possible to see rare species of Patagonian birds there.
According to Argentine authorities, it was there that the couple contracted the deadly strain of hantavirus "Andes" — the only type of this virus capable of being transmitted from person to person. The infection likely occurred through contact with infected rodents at the dump.
On April 1, the couple boarded the MV Hondius in Ushuaia. By April 6, Leo had developed a fever, headaches, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. He passed away on the ship on April 11. The body remained on board until April 24, when the liner docked at Saint Helena Island.
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