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The Documentary Podcast

Hantavirus nearly killed me

The Documentary Podcast

BBC

Society & Culture, Documentary

4.32.7K Ratings

🗓️ 16 May 2026

⏱️ 24 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

It’s just over six weeks since the ship, MV Hondius, left Argentina for a cruise visiting remote islands in the South Atlantic. A month later, three passengers had died. The World Health Organisation identified the probable cause as hantavirus – a rodent-borne disease that the victims most likely contracted in south America. We bring together Christian in Germany and Lorne in Canada to share their experiences of the virus and their own brush with death. “My heart failed, and I apparently died for 11 minutes,” Lorne says. We also bring together three experts to discuss how the disease spreads, its prevention and treatment.

Transcript

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0:00.0

BBC Sounds, music radio podcasts.

0:07.3

On BBC Sounds, there are podcasts to help you look after your body and your mind.

0:12.7

From increasing your immunity to feeling more confident.

0:16.6

Or tips on how to focus.

0:18.5

Sorry, what will you say?

0:19.7

If it matters to you, it matters to us.

0:22.6

Feel good inside of it.

0:24.2

With What's Up Docs.

0:25.8

And Complex with Kimberly Wilson.

0:27.9

Listen on BBC Sounds.

0:33.3

Hello, I'm James Reynolds.

0:35.1

Welcome to the documentary from the BBC World Service. And this time in BBC

0:39.9

conversations, we bring together survivors of Hanta virus. It's now just over six weeks since the ship

0:47.9

MV Hondias left Argentina for a cruise, visiting remote islands in the South Atlantic. A month on, three passengers had died.

0:57.1

The World Health Organization identified the probable cause as hantavirus. That's a rodent-borne

1:02.5

disease that the victims most likely contracted in South America. Later, we'll hear more about

1:08.5

the virus itself from health experts, but we begin with a conversation

1:12.7

between two people who've had the virus themselves.

1:16.7

Christian in Stuttgart in Germany was infected in 2019.

1:20.7

We brought him together with Lorne.

1:22.5

He lives in Whistler in the Canadian Rockies.

1:24.7

It was March three years ago.

...

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