- By Kamakshi Bishnoi
- Mon, 11 May 2026 10:06 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
What began as a bird watching expedition in South America ended in a fatal hantavirus cluster involving a Dutch couple, with one of the victims identified in reports as “patient zero” in an emerging outbreak.
Leo Schilperoord, 70, an ornithologist, and his wife Mirjam spent months travelling through Argentina, Chile and Uruguay as part of a five-month birding expedition before returning to Argentina in late March, reported the New York Post.
Stop at Contaminated Ushuaia Landfill
On March 27, the couple visited a landfill located around 4 miles outside Ushuaia, a site popular with birdwatchers but widely described as heavily contaminated and unsafe.
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Local photographer and guide Gaston Bretti called it “a mountain of waste that today far exceeds the limit initially established by the authorities.” The area is known for sightings of rare birds such as the white-throated caracara, also called Darwin’s caracara.
Suspected Exposure and “Patient Zero” Link
Investigators believe the couple may have inhaled particles containing rodent droppings carrying the Andes strain of hantavirus during their visit.
According to reports, Leo Schilperoord has been identified as “patient zero” in the outbreak cluster being tracked by health authorities, which later spread across passengers on the same voyage.
After boarding the cruise ship MV Hondius, Leo’s health deteriorated rapidly. “Leo reported having fever, headache, diarrhoea and stomach pain on April 6,” NDTV quoted reports. He died five days later on board the vessel.
Mirjam Schilperoord also fell ill during the journey. She disembarked at Saint Helena in the South Atlantic and travelled to Johannesburg. However, she was declared too unwell to continue her flight to the Netherlands and was removed before departure. She died in the hospital a day later and was later confirmed to have hantavirus.
Ship Reaches Canary Islands for Repatriation
MV Hondius finally docked at Spain's Canary Islands on Sunday to conduct a complex repatriation operation following stringent testing. 94 passengers and crew of 19 different nationalities were flown out.
After refuelling, the ship is scheduled to depart for the Netherlands at 7 pm local time (1800 GMT) with a skeleton crew.
Health authorities have confirmed eight cases and two probable infections linked to the outbreak, with three deaths reported. Officials have said the overall global public health risk remains low.
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