ARGENTINA: The mayor of Buenos Aires declares a health emergency as H1N1 flu strain kills 26 people in Argentina
Record ID:
1526359
ARGENTINA: The mayor of Buenos Aires declares a health emergency as H1N1 flu strain kills 26 people in Argentina
- Title: ARGENTINA: The mayor of Buenos Aires declares a health emergency as H1N1 flu strain kills 26 people in Argentina
- Date: 1st July 2009
- Summary: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (JUNE 30, 2009) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING ON CITY STREETS WEARING COATS AND SOME WEARING FACE MASKS DURING ARGENTINE WINTER
- Embargoed: 16th July 2009 11:51
- Keywords:
- Location: Argentina
- Country: Argentina
- Topics: Health
- Reuters ID: LVA2N64L8N2PF78INP7PI5LKLE2A
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3
- Story Text: The mayor of Argentina's capital, Buenos Aires, declared a health emergency on Tuesday (June 30) to help control an outbreak of the deadly H1N1 flu strain that has killed 26 people in the country.
Mayor Mauricio Macri urged city residents to stay at home as much as possible, saying the health emergency would remain in place through Friday.
"We are doing everything possible to control this epidemia. All should remain calm. I am going to sign a decree declaring a state of health emergency in the city. This has the effect of organizing the allocation of all resources out of the Health Ministry that we have at our disposal in the city. The private and public systems will work in conjunction through the Health Ministry in the city of Buenos Aires," Macri said, going on to emphasize that 99 % of cases of the flu are cured.
The Argentine government has confirmed 1,587 cases of the new strain of virus, also known as swine flu, which is spreading during the southern hemisphere winter.
Argentine authorities also said on Tuesday they were suspending classes for millions of children as a precaution.
Classes will be canceled in Buenos Aires and four other provinces from Monday as officials bring forward winter vacation periods originally scheduled to start later next month.
Many of the flu cases have been reported in the densely populated working-class suburbs and impoverished slums that ring Buenos Aires.
On Monday, Argentina's health minister resigned amid the outbreak, with some Argentine media reporting opposition within the national government to her measures to combat the outbreak. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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