Experts from the Carlos Malbrán Institute of the National Administration of Laboratories and Health Institutes (ANLIS) of Argentina recently revealed that no evidence of hantavirus infection has been confirmed at this time in rodents (mice and rats) captured in Ushuaia, a city in the southern part of the country.

Experts from the Malbrán Institute arrived in Ushuaia, the capital of Tierra del Fuego Province, on May 18 to investigate hantavirus. During the week-long investigation, over 200 traps were set to capture rodents, such as the long-tailed rice rat, which are involved in hantavirus transmission. One expert told Argentine media that no evidence of hantavirus infection has been confirmed in the captured animals, and that laboratory analysis would be conducted going forward.

According to the same expert, all collected samples have already been sent to the Malbrán Institute for serological testing, and if suspicious or positive samples are found, researchers will proceed to identify the source of infection using methods such as reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

The cruise ship "MV Hondius," operated by the Dutch company "Oceanwide Expeditions," departed from Ushuaia, Argentina, on April 1. While en route to the African island nation of Cape Verde, an outbreak of hantavirus occurred on board, killing three people. Officials from the World Health Organization (WHO) stated that the first case of infection on the "MV Hondius" was not on board the ship, but likely contracted before the cruise ship's departure. (Source/CGTN Japanese)