Deadly MV Hondius Hantavirus Outbreak Deepens as Dutch Ornithologist Leo Schilperoord Is Identified as Patient Zero After Argentina Trip

A Dutch ornithologist has been identified as the first passenger to die in the deadly hantavirus outbreak linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius.

Leo Schilperoord, 70, boarded the vessel with his wife Mirjam after travelling through Argentina, where the couple had gone birdwatching.

He later became the first of three cruise ship passengers to die after contracting hantavirus.

His widow, who had initially been comforted by fellow passengers after his death, also fell ill and later died after leaving the ship.

Outbreak Source Now Under Fresh Scrutiny

Initial reports suggested the infection may have been picked up at a landfill and birdwatching site in Ushuaia, at the southern tip of Argentina.

However, new information has raised doubts about that theory.

Officials in Tierra del Fuego have questioned claims that the virus originated in Ushuaia, saying the region has not recorded the virus and that the rodent species linked to the strain is not found there.

Instead, attention has shifted roughly 1,500 miles north to northern Patagonia, where the couple had reportedly travelled before arriving in Ushuaia.

Officials Point to Northern Patagonia Travel

Juan Petrina, the director of epidemiology for Tierra del Fuego, said the couple had been in northern Patagonia about 25 to 30 days before reaching Ushuaia.

He said that timeline better fits the known incubation period of hantavirus, which is at least a week.

Petrina said the couple arrived in Ushuaia on March 29 and had only two full days there before boarding the MV Hondius on April 1, making it unlikely, in his view, that they contracted the virus locally.

Andes Strain Raises Alarm

The deadly strain involved in the outbreak is known as the Andes strain of hantavirus.

Unlike most hantavirus variants, the Andes strain is known for its ability to spread from person to person.

It is associated with regions including Neuquen, Rio Negro and Chubut provinces in northern Patagonia.

Argentina’s health ministry has said the country has recorded 42 hantavirus cases so far this year, and 101 cases since last June, including 32 deaths.

Couple’s Movements Under Investigation

Argentine health authorities have been working with provincial health ministries to reconstruct the couple’s movements and identify the original source of the outbreak.

The Dutch couple had also travelled to Chile before heading south to Ushuaia.

However, Chile’s health ministry said the timing of the illness did not match their stay in Chile and stated that the couple did not contract the virus there.

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First Death Was Initially Described as Natural Causes

Schilperoord died on board the MV Hondius on April 11.

Passengers were reportedly told by the captain that he had died of natural causes, which led other travellers to console and embrace his grieving widow.

Mirjam later accompanied her husband’s casket to Johannesburg, South Africa, on April 24.

Soon after, she developed gastrointestinal symptoms. Her condition worsened rapidly, and she died in hospital on April 26.

Passengers and Crew Face Quarantine Fears

Authorities are now trying to trace 29 passengers who disembarked from the MV Hondius on April 24 in St. Helena, a British Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic.

Other passengers who had been due to leave the ship in Tenerife may face quarantine for up to 45 days.

There are reportedly 22 British passengers still on board the vessel.

At least five people, including the ship’s British doctor, have tested positive for hantavirus. The doctor is said to be in serious condition in intensive care.

Three additional passengers have symptoms and are awaiting confirmation through test results.

Earlier Outbreak Shows Human-to-Human Risk

Health authorities and the World Health Organisation have sought to avoid comparisons between the Andes strain and a Covid-style pandemic.

However, the virus has caused serious clusters before.

In 2018, a man in rural Chubut province attended a birthday party while ill with a fever. That event led to 34 infections and 11 deaths, making it one of the most alarming known examples of person-to-person spread.

Gene Hackman Family Connection Renewed

The outbreak has also drawn renewed attention to the death of Betsy Hackman, wife of Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman, who died of hantavirus in February 2025.

Her nephew, Tim Hackman, said he hoped those affected by the cruise ship outbreak had strong support around them.

Betsy Hackman is believed to have contracted the virus after clearing out a rat’s nest in a shed at the couple’s New Mexico ranch. She died at home at 65, while Gene Hackman, who had advanced Alzheimer’s and heart disease, died about a week later at 95.

Impact and Consequences

The outbreak has created a major international health concern because passengers from the MV Hondius travelled through multiple countries before the scale of the infection became clear.

The possibility that the first infections may have occurred in northern Patagonia rather than Ushuaia could reshape the investigation and widen the search for exposed travellers.

The death of Schilperoord and his wife also shows how quickly hantavirus can become fatal once symptoms develop.

For cruise operators, the case raises difficult questions about onboard illness reporting, passenger communication and how quickly suspected infectious disease cases should trigger isolation measures.

What’s next?

Health authorities are expected to continue tracing the movements of the Dutch couple before they boarded the MV Hondius.

Officials will also try to contact passengers who left the ship in St. Helena and monitor those still on board or in quarantine.

Further testing will determine whether the symptomatic passengers have hantavirus, while investigators will keep examining whether the outbreak began in northern Patagonia.

The official source of the infection may take time to confirm because the couple travelled through several regions before boarding the ship.

Summary

Dutch ornithologist Leo Schilperoord, 70, has been identified as the first known victim of the deadly hantavirus outbreak linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship.

He died on board on April 11, and his wife Mirjam later died in Johannesburg after developing symptoms.

Although early reports pointed to a landfill site in Ushuaia, officials now say the couple may have contracted the Andes strain of hantavirus in northern Patagonia, where multiple cases and deaths have been reported.

Several passengers and crew members remain infected or under observation.

Bulleted Takeaways

• Leo Schilperoord, 70, was the first passenger to die in the MV Hondius hantavirus outbreak.
• His wife Mirjam also died after leaving the ship and travelling to Johannesburg.
• Early claims linked the outbreak to a landfill and birdwatching site in Ushuaia, Argentina.
• Tierra del Fuego officials now say the couple likely contracted the virus in northern Patagonia.
• The strain involved is the Andes strain, which can spread between humans.
• Argentina has recorded 101 hantavirus cases since last June, including 32 deaths.
• Authorities are tracing 29 passengers who left the ship in St. Helena.
• 22 British passengers reportedly remain on board the MV Hondius.
• At least five people, including the ship’s British doctor, have tested positive.
• Some passengers may face quarantine for up to 45 days.
• Investigators are still working to confirm the true source of the outbreak.