Apparently because the landfill attracts birds they wanted to watch. Answer from Economy_Link4609 on reddit.com
LBC
lbc.co.uk › article › rat-virus-outbreak-landfill-site-visited-by-dutch-birdwatchers-5HjdYq8_2
Landfill site where couple are believed to have contracted deadly rat virus identified by officials in Argentina | LBC
May 7, 2026 - The rubbish dump loved by birdwatchers could have been where two pensioners contracted the virus
Reddit
reddit.com › r/nostupidquestions › a dutch couple that caught hantavirus supposedly visited a landfill, where they caught it. why the fuck would they visit a landfill?
r/NoStupidQuestions on Reddit: a dutch couple that caught hantavirus supposedly visited a landfill, where they caught it. why the fuck would they visit a landfill?
May 7, 2026 -
is it to find old items? if so, wouldn’t it be filled with forbidden sauces you would never wanna touch?
Top answer 1 of 27
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Apparently because the landfill attracts birds they wanted to watch.
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They were elderly. 70ish. And they were taken to the landfill by a tour guide for the purpose of birdwatching. Horror movie material.
If hantavirus is caused by rodent waste, why isn’t every major city a hantavirus wasteland by now? : r/NoStupidQuestions May 8, 2026
r/NoStupidQuestions 2mo ago
Doubts grow over theory that bird-watchers’ trip to Argentine landfill sparked hantavirus outbreak May 15, 2026
r/birding 2mo ago
Officials believe a Dutch couple may have contracted ...
Argentine authorities say a Dutch couple, who later died, may ...
Experts to study sites visited by hantavirus-infected couple in ...
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01:54
Mystery on luxury cruise ship: Hantavirus kills couple and ...
Scientific American
scientificamerican.com › article › doubts-grow-over-theory-that-bird-watchers-trip-to-argentine-landfill-sparked-hantavirus-outbreak
Doubts grow over theory that bird-watchers’ trip to Argentine landfill sparked hantavirus outbreak | Scientific American
May 15, 2026 - At a press conference on May 8, Juan Petrina, director of epidemiology for Tierra del Fuego, noted that there has never been a single recorded case of hantavirus in the province. “The scarcity of this rodent, combined with the province’s historical health status and the short period of time during which this couple may have been exposed to these rodents, greatly reduces the likelihood that the infection occurred here,” Petrina remarked. Petrina is not the only one challenging the focus on the Ushuaia garbage dump as the starting point of the cruise ship outbreak.
TikTok
tiktok.com › content › hantavirus-from-couple-who-visited-garbage-dump
Hantavirus from Couple Who Visited Garbage Dump
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/birding › hantavirus outbreak linked to birding couple that visited an argentinian landfill
r/birding on Reddit: Hantavirus outbreak linked to birding couple that visited an Argentinian landfill
May 7, 2026 -
oh man…. something I would definitely do. this is the hotspot I believe. they were probably looking for the white-throated caracara
Top answer 1 of 5
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I can see why a landfill is a good place to see birds but, if this couple caught it there, other locals working at the dump must have come into contact with the virus as well.
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Argentinian here. Unfortunately, due to harsh weather in Patagonia many birds are resorting to landfills as a food resource. This has changed the dynamics in some places, for example seagulls have become invasive in some places and hurt the whales. Also, landfills attract small rodents that previously fed on scarce grass sources. Many of these can be vectors for diseases (most species of Argentinian mammals are rodents and bats). While hantavirus is not that common in Patagonia going to landfills sure increases the chances of getting in contact with infected rodents. Source: im a Nature Conservation student ETA thanks for the upvotes! I have encountered wild rodents, dead ones and droppings in many reserves and national parks. I had more problems with parasitic flies though 😆 i guess that if you go birding to the landfill, gloves and a face mask are enough to prevent hantavirus? Not sure though
YouTube
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Published May 8, 2026
Nautilus
nautil.us › stop-demonizing-the-birdwatchers-who-contracted-hantavirus-1280779
Stop Demonizing the Birdwatchers Who Contracted Hantavirus
May 14, 2026 - Indeed, the Schilperoords were apparently looking for a rare bird of prey called the white-throated caracara, or Darwin’s caracara, that is known to frequent the Argentine landfill where they may have contracted hantavirus. That sounds more like two passionate birders seeking to check off a rare species on their lifetime list and less like a pair of haphazard birdwatchers to me.
The Sun
the-sun.com › news › 16326030 › landfill-town-rat-virus-outbreak
Pictured: landfill in town dubbed 'the end of the world' that's ...
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Mothership.SG
mothership.sg › 2026 › 05 › hantavirus-outbreak-andes-strain
Dutch couple on cruise ship who died may have contracted hantavirus from bird-watching tour at garbage dump - Mothership.SG - News from Singapore, Asia and around the world
May 7, 2026 - The ministry said on May 6 that ... after it was reported that the Dutch couple may have contracted the virus during a bird-watching outing at a landfill in Ushuaia before boarding the ship....
YouTube
youtube.com › shorts › Pln0TW16yiY
A couple caught hantavirus from birdwatching in a landfill? Jon has so many questions #dailyshow - YouTube
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Published May 12, 2026
Fox News
foxnews.com › world › argentina-investigators-zero-possible-origin-point-hantavirus-deadly-cruise-outbreak
Argentina investigators zero in on possible origin point of hantavirus in deadly cruise outbreak
Argentina officials say a Dutch couple may have contracted hantavirus at a landfill in Ushuaia before boarding a cruise ship that saw three deaths.
Published May 6, 2026
NYTimes
nytimes.com › world › americas
Argentina Races To Find Origin of Hantavirus Outbreak - The New York Times
May 14, 2026 - The two first known hantavirus victims — a Dutch couple — had embarked on a sprawling voyage across Argentina, Chile and Uruguay, making it hard for investigators to trace the origin of the infection.
The Independent
independent.co.uk › news › world › americas
Outbreak of deadly hantavirus on cruise ship ‘may have been caused by couple’s birdwatching trip to landfill site’ | The Independent
May 8, 2026 - The deadly outbreak of hantavirus on a cruise ship may have been caused by a Dutch couple contracting the illness during a bird-watching outing in Ushuaia, Argentina, health officials fear.
Live and Let's Fly
liveandletsfly.com › home › travel › hantavirus outbreak reportedly due to landfill tourism
Hantavirus Outbreak Reportedly Due To Landfill Tourism - Live and Let's Fly
May 10, 2026 - Five hantavirus cases, three deaths, and a global cruise scare. The likely vector wasn't the ship at all. It was a Ushuaia shore excursion.
India Today
indiatoday.in › news › world › how a fatal rare bird hunt at landfill led to 'patient zero' catching hantavirus
MV Hondius hantavirus outbreak: How a fatal rare bird hunt at landfill led to 'patient zero' catching hantavirus - India Today
May 12, 2026 - The couple, from the Dutch village of Haulerwijk, were seasoned bird enthusiasts who had travelled across the world documenting rare species. On March 27, after returning to Argentina, they visited the Ushuaia landfill, a site frequented by ...
Facebook
facebook.com › DonP › posts › hantavirus-outbreak-on-the-cruise-ship-started-because-a-couple-went-bird-watchi › 1523102025844767
HANTAVIRUS OUTBREAK on the cruise ship started ...
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The Hill
thehill.com › policy › healthcare › 5876149-hantavirus-cases-increase-worldwide
Hantavirus cases rise to 11 as WHO monitors potential spread
May 13, 2026 - Argentina’s Ministry of Health ... Health officials noted that the Dutch couple took part in a bird-watching tour that stopped at a garbage dump and they may have been exposed to infected rats....
Reddit
reddit.com › r › HantaVirus26 › comments › 1t5k8ef › hantavirus_live_couples_landfill_birdwatching
Hantavirus live: Couple's landfill birdwatching trip may be ...
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PBS NewsHour
pbs.org › newshour › health › critically-ill-french-hantavirus-patient-is-on-an-artificial-lung-as-outbreak-grows-to-11
Critically ill French hantavirus patient is on an artificial lung as outbreak grows to 11 | PBS News
May 13, 2026 - The husband and wife later died. Argentine officials have said the couple took a bird-watching tour that included a stop at a garbage dump where they may have been exposed to rodents carrying the infection.