An Argentine scientific team will travel to Ushuaia next week to investigate the presence of rodents that may carry the hantavirus, a local health authority announced on Thursday.
Juan Petrina, Director of Epidemiology for the province of Tierra del Fuego, said the team plans to collect rodent samples during their visit but did not specify the number of animals they aim to capture.
He estimated that the analysis could yield results within four weeks.
The city of Ushuaia, departure point of the cruise ship Hondius on which a hantavirus outbreak occurred on 1 April, has been defending itself against claims that it was the source of the infection.
Local authorities insist that the hantavirus has not existed in the province since mandatory reporting was introduced 30 years ago.
