Only hours before the cruise ship MV Hondius reached the port of Granadilla in Tenerife, the identity of the first passenger to die from a hantavirus outbreak was released. Identified as the “patient zero” of the disease—which has claimed two other lives and infected nearly a dozen others—was Leo Schilperoord.

Schilperoord, a 70-year-old Dutch ornithologist and biologist, died on April 11, ten days after the ship departed from the port of Ushuaia. The identity of his wife, Mirjam Schilperoord-Huisman, was also revealed; she passed away 15 days later in South Africa while attempting to return her husband's body to their home country.

The Dutch media outlet Algemeen Dagblad disclosed several details regarding the couple’s background. Both were residents of Haulerwijk, a village of 3,000 inhabitants in the province of Friesland, Netherlands. Neighbors respected the couple, describing them as “nature lovers” and “passionate ornithologists.”

The local neighborhood association, Boskrâne, published a farewell message: “After having to say goodbye to her husband on April 11, our dear friend (...) left us on April 26. We will miss you, along with all your stories.” Additionally, a relative cited via the association Namens de Familie stated: “The beautiful path they walked together was brutally and definitively interrupted. We want to bring them back in peace and honor their memory.”

The couple had arrived in Argentina last November and traveled by land through various tourist sites in Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay. Their final stop was Tierra del Fuego, where they boarded the MV Hondius, operated by the shipping line Oceanwide Expeditions.

According to his Facebook profile, Schilperoord studied at the University of Groningen, graduating in 1983, and also attended the University of Amsterdam. His social media activity reflected his lifelong dedication to wildlife. “I made a video of some families of pink-footed geese yesterday,” he wrote in a 2016 post, a year in which he also shared images of a trip through Africa documenting zebras and vultures.

“We are in Excellent Hands”

Meanwhile, Khabir Moraes, one of the chefs aboard the MV Hondius, took to social media yesterday to thank followers for their concern and prayers for the crew of the polar cruise ship.

Originally from the state of Goa, India, Moraes provided an update on the current situation on board: “There are no more [hantavirus] infections. We are in excellent hands, with three new doctors and a representative from the World Health Organization.”

Moraes, who has nearly 40,000 followers on Instagram, added: “Your prayers and messages meant a lot to me during this time. We are positive and focused... I deeply appreciate everyone who worried about us. Sending love from the sea.”