Health officials and disease experts in Argentina are investigating whether the country may be the source of a deadly hantavirus outbreak linked to an Atlantic cruise bound for Antarctica.
The outbreak has triggered concern among international health authorities as investigators work to trace how passengers may have been exposed to the rare but potentially fatal rodent-borne disease.
Argentina, where the cruise departed, has consistently recorded the highest incidence of hantavirus infections in Latin America, according to the World Health Organization.
Experts say the virus is primarily spread through contact with infected rodents or exposure to contaminated droppings, urine or saliva.
Giuglia Gallo, a postdoctoral scientist at The Pirbright Institute, said investigators were racing to determine whether passengers contracted the virus before boarding the vessel or during the voyage.
Officials have yet to confirm the exact source of the outbreak, but health authorities are monitoring passengers and crew members for symptoms while carrying out epidemiological investigations.
Hantavirus infections can cause severe respiratory illness and have a high fatality rate in some cases, prompting heightened surveillance by public health agencies.
