India, May 10 -- Dutch ornithologist Leo Schilperoord has emerged as the suspected "patient zero" in the deadly hantavirus outbreak aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius. The outbreak has already claimed at least three lives according to the World Health Organization (WHO), including that of Schilperoord and his wife, Mirjam Schilperoord.

The 70-year-old birdwatcher reportedly boarded the Dutch-operated MV Hondius after visiting Ushuaia, Argentina, with his wife Mirjam, 69, during a months-long birdwatching expedition across South America.

Investigators now believe the couple contracted the Andes virus near a landfill area known for rat infestations before boarding the vessel.

1. Leo Schilperoord was a well-known ornithologist. According t...