90-Second Read: Argentina in spotlight over Hantavirus as authorities retrace footsteps of ship’s passengers

The vast majority of up to 100,000 annual Hantavirus cases occur in Asia and Europe, but the key difference lies in the severity caused by different strains: while in those regions the fatality rate is up to 15%, in the Americas it can reach 50%. The ministry has reiterated that it is "not confirmed that the infection occurred in Argentina" and notes that in the province from which the ship departed, Tierra del Fuego, there has not been a confirmed case of Hantavirus in the past 30 years. The experience and knowledge to tackle the Hantavirus exist, and Argentina has them. These cases are being recalled after three people died from the virus on the Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius that departed from Argentina bound for Cape Verde.

Global climate change is altering everything, and that could also lead to Hantavirus cases emerging in places where they had not previously occurred. Even with the rise, Argentina remains within its historical annual average of about 100 cases, far below, for example, China and the Republic of Korea, where there are thousands of cases annually according to the WHO. For Ittig, Milei's decision to leave the WHO is yet another facet of the problems caused by the libertarian's "chainsaw" policy of deep spending cuts in science, education and healthcare, which could affect efforts to combat Hantavirus. Nearly a decade ago another outbreak, also in Patagonia, provided detailed evidence of inter-human transmission when an infected 68-year-old rural worker attended a birthday party in a small village.

However, Argentinian scientists who have studied the virus for decades agree that despite a slight recent increase in cases, Argentina is not facing anything significantly new or different from previous decades. Nevertheless, the WHO has said the risk of Hantavirus to the general population is "absolutely low", noting that person-to-person transmission does not occur easily. Even though it is far from leading global case numbers, Argentina still has the highest total in Latin America, which scientists attribute to the climate crisis and ecological imbalances such as the loss of natural predators. To determine where contamination on the MV Hondius may have occurred, Argentina's health ministry plans to capture rodents for analysis along the route taken by the Dutch couple who first developed symptoms.

On Thursday, the WHO director general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said Argentina should "reconsider" the decision taken by its president, Javier Milei, and formalised in March to leave the organisation, following the example of his US ally, Donald Trump. The problem is that investment is needed, and that is not what is happening now.