Dutch ornithologist Leo Schilperoord has been identified as the suspected 'patient zero' in the deadly hantavirus outbreak aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius.
The 70-year-old birdwatcher reportedly contracted the Andes virus near a landfill area in Argentina before boarding the vessel with his wife, Mirjam.
According to investigators, the couple was on a months-long birdwatching expedition across South America when they visited the landfill area known for rat infestations.
Schilperoord was a well-known ornithologist and bird enthusiast from the Netherlands who spent years documenting rare bird species.
He and his wife were on a five-month birdwatching journey through South America before boarding the cruise ship.
The duo co-authored a study on pink-footed geese in the Dutch ornithological magazine Het Vogeljaar in 1984.
Authorities believe Schilperoord contracted the virus at the Argentine landfill on March 27, and symptoms began days after boarding the MV Hondius.
