Source: Cecilia Caminos (dpa) | 01/07/2009
Buenos Aires (dpa) - provinces, municipalities and cities took to implement unilateral steps to curb the advance of the influenza epidemic in Argentina, the government's decision not to order the national health emergency or advertise drastic restrictions.
The vast majority of the provinces and the capital this week announced the suspension of classes or the advancement and extension of the winter and some of them were declared health emergency in a number of decisions is delayed for some specialists.
The ads generated a mixture of fear, caution and psychosis in the population. While in some districts to close schools starts next week, many parents decided to no longer send their children to school. And in the streets, in buses and subways is observed every hour more people with chinstrap (cubrebocas).
The chinstrap and alcohol gel is rapidly depleted in the shops of Buenos Aires and around the metropolitan region's largest country and a major outbreak of H1N1 cases.
The influenza A virus and caused at least 42 deaths in Argentina, according to the press as the latest official report, dated last Friday, noted 26 deaths and 1587 infections.
The doctor Yabkowski Jorge, president of the Federation of Health Professionals, however, estimated that more than 15,000 infected, while the leader of the NGO Solidarity Network, John Carr, said that 50,000 people have already contracted the disease.
Health Minister Graciela Ocana resigned on Monday in a decision expected for weeks ago by his differences with the national government for health policy, which had already appeared with the epidemic of dengue months ago.
According to the coordinator of the committee revealed the health crisis, Jorge San Juan, Ocaña, and many experts had recommended the suspension of parliamentary elections on Sunday to prevent the spread of influenza A, but lacked a "political decision" to endorse the measure.
Health Minister of the province of Buenos Aires, Claudio Zin, today ruled out any suspicion of political interest. "The measures taken in time and in shape. It does this have to do, and I assure you my word of honor, or the election campaign or the (electoral) or nothing," said the official.
Yabkowski reported today that Argentina is facing a "bad health". "For several years we have been denouncing the lack of professionals, we are also experiencing a lack of policies. There is clearly a management problem," said the doctor.
The leader of the federation warned that "there is no Tamiflu available to anyone with the flu despite the fact that since June 17 Tamiflu is effective to apply the entire world" with a diagnosis of influenza. In major pharmacy chains to date is not for sale or other antiviral drugs containing oseltamivir.
Meanwhile, precautions are multiplied in a disorderly manner. In the city of Buenos Aires Junín, for example, banned all sports and closed nightclubs, bars and other meeting places.
Initial calculations indicate that the tourism industry, entertainment and commerce could suffer a drop of at least 30 percent of its revenue.
The president of the Argentine Association of Travel Agents and Tourism, Tomás Ryan, confirmed that "aliens are coming with a dropper. We have canceled reservations at a large scale." The situation worsened after Brazil recommended not to travel to Argentina or Chile and the ski season and provide a lean.
Education Minister Juan Carlos Tedesco, acknowledged that the adoption of measures similar to those adopted by Mexico, who stalled for several days all sorts of public activity, "has a very high social and economic cost," and therefore such a decision is delayed.
hat-tip Shiloh
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