(Central News Agency, Buenos Aires, 1st comprehensive foreign report) Argentina has suffered from pneumonia of unknown cause, the local health chief said today that three people have died from it this week.
Nine people in the northwestern province of Tucuman have contracted the unidentified respiratory disease, including eight in the same private clinic, the health chief of Argentina’s Tucuman province, Luis Medina Ruiz, told reporters, AFP reported. Medical personnel.
Authorities are testing for the disease, but Medina said they have ruled out COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) and influenza A and B.
Samples have been sent to the Malbran Institute in Buenos Aires.
After the first patient died on August 29, another person died yesterday. The third deceased was a 70-year-old patient who was admitted to the private clinic. Medina said the woman may be “patient zero, but it is still under evaluation.”
Medina said yesterday that the patient had “severe respiratory disease with bilateral pneumonia … very similar to COVID”.
Experts said they are analyzing local water and air conditioning to check for poisoning. Medina said it might also be caused by an infection.
The first six patients started showing symptoms between August 18 and 22. Of the three latest cases, two are being treated in hospital and one is being monitored at home. (Translator: Yang Zhaoyan) 1110902
