Red alert in Argentina due to an unidentified disease that it has claimed the lives of two people and that it has three others hospitalized in critical condition. The event has occurred in the province of Tucumán and it has been the Ministry of Public Health of the region who has communicated this outbreak, which is already being investigated. The infections occurred between August 18 and 22, with no new infections reported since that day.
The striking thing about this case is that it is pneumonia “of unknown origin“, since all kinds of tests have been carried out on the patients, without for now being able to identify the cause of the disease. All of them have tested negative for COVID and fluso the Argentine authorities have completely isolated the hospital where the three seriously ill patients are admitted, until the disease is identified.
A sixth person, who also does not have COVID or the flu, according to the tests, is also infected with the unknown disease, although in his case, not serious for now, and remains in isolation at his own home. For now, and until both the mysterious disease is discovered as its originthe health authorities have asked that concentrations with many people in the region be avoided, and that citizens wear a mask if they go out into the street, to prevent the outbreak from spreading.
More tests should be done with laboratory analysis
Being a pneumonia of unknown origin, the health lab tests needed to check which is the bacteria or virus that has caused the disease to the six infected people. In the event that the disease remains unidentified, a a study in a biosafety chamber to be able to make new checks and try to determine its origin or its possible correlation with other already known diseases.
Biosafety chambers are places of extreme danger in which only health professionals, biologists or scientists can enter, since it is a very restricted area. In them, and with adequate ventilation so that they can work, they carry out their work mainly with viruses or bacteria, to investigate the way in which they can influence humanity or animals, and how their negative effects can be cured.
