Dutch Man Identified as 'Patient Zero' in Hantavirus Outbreak on Antarctic Cruise Ship

Leo Schilperoord, a 70-year-old Dutch birdwatcher, has been identified as the initial case in a fatal hantavirus outbreak linked to the expedition cruise ship MV Hondius, following his visit to a municipal landfill near Ushuaia, Argentina, on March 27, 2026. Health authorities believe he contracted the rare Andes strain of hantavirus, carried by long-tailed pygmy rice rats, through exposure to contaminated rodent excreta at the site, which is frequented by birdwatchers despite local warnings.

Schilperoord and his wife, Mirjam, boarded the MV Hondius in Ushuaia on April 1; he began exhibiting symptoms including high fever, headaches, and gastrointestinal distress within days. He died aboard the ship on April 11. The vessel, operated by a Dutch company and carrying 112 passengers—many of them scientists and birding enthusiasts—was en route to Antarctica. On April 24, Mirjam Schilperoord disembarked at Saint Helena with her husband's body but collapsed at Johannesburg International Airport and died the following day, with preliminary findings indicating hantavirus as the cause.

The Andes strain is the only known hantavirus capable of spreading between humans through prolonged, close contact, raising concerns about secondary transmission among passengers and medical staff. Argentine and Dutch health agencies, in coordination with the World Health Organization, have initiated contact tracing and monitoring of all individuals who were on the ship or in close contact with the couple. The court will resume hearing on Tuesday.