About a week ago the Ministry of Public Health of the Argentine province of Tucumán began to investigate a infectious outbreak in the hospital Luz Médica of the provincial capital took the life of a doctor and a nurse from the center.
This Wednesday, the health authorities confirmed the death of a second person infected by this virus so far unknownwhile others three people remain hospitalized in serious condition and only one of the infected evolves favorably. The hospital is isolated and new patients are not allowed to enter.
The origin of the infections has not yet been determined. all infected symptoms began between August 18 and 22 and have been tested for Covid-19, Influenza, Influenza A and even B, giving all negative testsas detailed by the Minister of Health of the province, Luis Medina Ruiz, in statements to Public TV.
“We have detected a outbreak of bilateral pneumonia in six patients, this disease is a way of manifesting many respiratory diseases, “said the head of the health portfolio. “It is possibly an infectious etiological agent, we must demonstrate that and find out what it is, if it is a viral infectious germ of not so severe contagion”, he expanded.
Health authorities are working to investigate the outbreak, including case contact tracing and specific control actions in the health center where the outbreak arose, according to the ministry in a statement.
They do not rule out any hypothesis infectious or bacterial: “We have not yet found the etiology despite continuing to study not only viruses, but also bacteria, with cultures through a study called FilmArray. We have that technology in Tucumán, which investigates 25 germs, and they also tested negative”reported Luis Medina Rui.
For his part, the director of Epidemiology of the Provincial Health System, Rogelio Calli, pointed out that “both viruses and bacteria generate the same picture, in this case a flu-like picture with muscle pain, fever, shortness of breath” . “It is very similar to Covid or hantavirus; It could be a virus or bacteria.analyzed.
Faced with the outbreak, officials have recalled a series of care and recommendations: “hand washing, vaccination in all age groups and their appropriate schemes, use of a masksocial distancing and avoid crowds”
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