Hantavirus outbreak source remains unconfirmed — Argentina

The Argentine government has said it is currently unable to confirm the origin of a hantavirus outbreak.

In its weekly epidemiological report, the Ministry of Health reiterated that the source of the outbreak remains undetermined.

“Although the Malbrán Institute (ANLIS) established that the viral sequence taken from the cruise ship is very close to strains detected in 2018 in Neuquén, the source of the outbreak cannot currently be confirmed, as the index patient did not visit areas where the Andes strain is endemic during the presumed period of infection,” the government statement said.

The epidemiological investigation is ongoing within Argentina in coordination with international partners.

By Jeyhun Aghazada