ARGENTINA: Air travel between Mexico and two suspected cases announced by doctors in Mendoza

Record ID: 447360

  • Title: ARGENTINA: Air travel between Mexico and two suspected cases announced by doctors in Mendoza
  • Date: 30th April 2009
  • Summary: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (APRIL 28, 2009) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CHECK-IN COUNTERS FOR MEXICANA AIRLINES AND STAFF WEARING SURGICAL MASKS
  • Embargoed: 15th May 2009 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Argentina
  • Country: Argentina
  • Topics: Transport
  • Reuters ID: LVAB6JXRD5AKD5LE5K2ND6QPDWH3
  • Story Text: Authorities in Argentina were analyzing on Tuesday (April 28) whether to shut down all flights coming in from or going to Mexico, as doctors said two Argentines have been quarantined from fear they might have swine flu.
    Officials are checking for people with flu symptoms arriving from Mexico and other countries, including the United States, where cases have been confirmed. Government sources told Reuters that a decision on whether all air travel to Mexico will be suspended should be expected on Tuesday afternoon.
    Local news stations reported that four airport staff had presented with flu-like symptoms and were being tested for swine flu.
    Some Argentines have returned from Mexico earlier than expected to avoid the possibility of being stranded there.

    "For prevention and because of the possibility of having problems with returning. (Journalist asking: What was your motive for returning to Argentina?) The fact that that the World Health Organization changed the alert level. (Journalist asking: Are you scared?) Scared, no. But prevention, yes," the unnamed man said in Ezeiza International Airport when asked why he had returned from Mexico.
    Many ground staff at Buenos Aires' international airport were wearing surgical masks, including all employees of the Mexicana airline.
    Doctors in Argentina in the western city of Mendoza also said they were studying two suspected cases.
    Mendoza borders the country's Andean border with Chile and the couple had returned flown into from a trip to Mexico in Chile, before making their way overland to Mendoza.
    The director of Lencinas Hospital where the couple was being treated, said they had been put into isolation.

    "The patients came through emergency and because of where they came from, and because of the characteristics of the symptoms that they had, we took them to be a suspected case and so we hospitalized and conducted all of the necessary studies and took all epidemiological preventive measures that correspond to such a case," director of Lencinas Hospital, Daniel Vargas, said.
    The national health minister Graciela Ocaña said on Monday that one suspected case was under analysis in Argentina, but provided no other details.
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