The Minister of Health of Tucuman estimated on Wednesday that the origin of the pathology could be an infectious agent, but that “toxic, environmental causes” were not excluded.
A third person died of “pneumonia of unknown origin”, apparently localized in a clinic in Tucuman, in the northwest of Argentina, local health authorities announced on Thursday. Nine people in all, including eight members of the medical staff of the same private clinic, have been affected by the respiratory pathology and three have died since Monday, provincial health minister Luis Medina Ruiz told the press.
Tests are underway on the origin of the disease, but Covid, flu, type A and B influenza, or hantavirus (transmitted by rodents) have already been ruled out, according to the minister. Samples were sent to the Argentine Reference Laboratory, the Malbran Institute in Buenos Aires.
The third victim is “a 70-year-old patient, who was hospitalized” for surgery in the same clinic where the other cases are members of the nursing staff. According to Mr. Medina Ruiz, she could be “in principle the + patient zero +, but it is under examination”.
On Wednesday, the minister had described common patient symptoms as “a severe respiratory condition with bilateral pneumonia, and imaging very similar to Covid, but this has been ruled out”.
The six initial cases had presented symptoms between August 18 and 22, the three new cases announced on Thursday presented symptoms between August 20 and 23. Of these three new cases, two are hospitalized, and one is being monitored at home.
The Minister of Health of Tucuman estimated on Wednesday that the origin of the pathology could be an infectious agent, but that “toxic, environmental causes” were not excluded. Analyzes are also underway on water and air conditioning systems.