What we once thought would be yet another uneventful cruise season in Antarctica has now turned into an international health crisis with the city of Ushuaia (which is sometimes called “the end of the world”) being placed under the spotlight as no one has ever expected Ushuaia to be an international topic of interest.
Typically, when people discuss Ushuaia they are talking about glaciers, penguins, snow-capped mountains and cruises that leave from there heading to Antarctica.
Currently, Ushuaia is being connected to a hantavirus outbreak that is linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius, which recently returned from an invalid voyage due to the fact several passengers developed symptoms after boarding the ship.
The ship is now docked in Tenerife Spain, where authorities evacuated the passengers and returned them to their respective countries while the outbreak investigation continues.
The cruise line departs from southern Argentina on April 1st and given the timing of the illness developing in passengers while onboard; many have speculated that the illness originated in Ushuaia prior to coming aboard.
However, local authorities have strongly denied this thought.
Leadership from Tierra del Fuego’s health department responded to the allegations by stating there has never been a confirmatory case of hantavirus in this region since records began.
Epidemiologists with local authority determine that the occurrence of naturally-occurring Hantavirus transmission in Ushuaia, Argentina is highly improbable due to the lack of resident, specific rodent host species for the virus.
Geography creates intrinsic ecological barriers.
Located on an island within the southernmost tip of South America, Ushuaia occupies a location on the other side of the Strait of Magellan from continental Patagonia. Health officials contend that if infected rodents were to migrate to the area from the rodent reservoir, they would face severe challenges in the surrounding environment.
Weather patterns also increase difficulty of sustaining hantavirus.
Ushuaia differs from regions in North Patagonia where the climate is more conducive to maintaining rodent populations. The cooler temperatures, different humidity and harsh environmental conditions have convinced experts that the probability of successfully maintaining a population of rodents infected with hantavirus in Ushuaia is reduced compared to other regions.
Despite the consensus off experts, the Argentine Government has taken the potential threat very seriously.
The federal Government has conducted site inspections in the region, including inspections at refuse disposal facilities and potential bird-watching sites, where large numbers of rodents congregate. Recent environmental changes have the potential to change rodent migration patterns; therefore, many epidemiologists are requesting additional studies to better understand the region’s ecology, particularly as certain rodent species historically have been primarily found in high-altitude ecosystems are beginning to migrate into lower-elevation areas.
According to reports from various sources, Ushuaia is responsible for over 95% of all cruise ships that operate within Antarctica; this makes cruise tourism one of the largest contributors to Ushuaia’s economy.
The negative perception associated with the most recent health scare in Ushuaia could have a significant impact on the worldwide perception of Ushuaia as a tourist destination prior to the completion of any investigation into the outbreak.
However, as of today, travelers visiting Ushuaia continue to travel there as they normally would. Most of the people who arrived in Ushuaia for their trip stated that they were not affected by the news of the outbreak, and many of those that arrived before the outbreak occurred had no problem continuing their trip after hearing about the incident.
Tourist operations, including guided tours of the Beagle Channel and Tierra del Fuego National Park, continue without interruption. The reality is that there are many reasons why people choose to visit Ushuaia, and many people choose to continue their planned trips.
Ushuaia continues to be considered one of the most breathtakingly beautiful places in all of South America. The city lies surrounded by snow capped mountains, with Antarctic cruise vessels departing from the city’s port every day, and attractions such as the End of the World Train attracting thousands of visitors from around the world every month.
Currently, there is an effort to figure out the original source of the infection that has spread to numerous passengers on board a cruise ship.
It is theorized that a Dutch couple on board may have contracted the virus earlier while traveling throughout northern Patagonia weeks before boarding the ship, but not necessarily in Ushuaia.
However, until investigators are able to fully conclude their investigation in Tenerife, the “End of the World” city will likely be under an unwanted international microscope.
