Ushuaia faces tourism cancellations amid hantavirus origin inquiry

The remote Argentine city of Ushuaia, a primary gateway for Antarctic tourism, is confronting economic anxiety as it faces speculation over its possible connection to a deadly hantavirus outbreak. The city, which markets itself as the southernmost city in the world, has seen its reputation questioned after Argentina’s Health Ministry announced it was examining whether a Dutch couple who died in April contracted the rodent-borne virus there before boarding a cruise.

Local authorities in Ushuaia, the capital of Tierra del Fuego province, have dismissed the speculation as unfounded, stating there is no evidence the outbreak originated in their city. The national Health Ministry has said it cannot rule out any destination the couple visited during a months-long road trip through Argentina and Chile prior to their departure from Ushuaia.

Despite the lack of confirmed links, tourism operators report that fears surrounding the Andes variant of hantavirus have already led to cruise booking cancellations from American and European travelers for the upcoming season. The precise number of cancellations is unclear. Industry figures express deeper concern about potential travelers choosing...