July 18, 2009

 

Argentina decrees alert over AH1N1 in pigs

 

 

Argentina has declared a "state of alert" after the AH1N1 flu was detected in two different herds of pigs.

 

The pigs were made sick through contact with humans carrying the AH1N1 flu virus, the director of the animal health and sanitation service Senasa, Jorge Dillon, told local news channel TN Friday (Jul 17).

 

Argentina is only the second country to confirm the new flu strain leaping from the human to pork population. Canada was first to report the infection of pigs from contact with sick handlers.

 

In Argentina, both of the infected herds were quarantined and the spread appears to be limited so far. While the first cases were detected in late June, the alert decree will provide additional funds for increased testing and other measures to control the spread of the disease among the pig population, according to Dillon.

 

The Senasa director said that the risk to humans was not increased by the presence of the disease in the pigs.

 

However, Argentina has been hit hard by the pandemic which has spread quickly due to the southern hemisphere winter.

 

As of Tuesday (Jul 14), the official death toll from the virus reached 137, with 3,056 officially confirmed cases, according to the health ministry.

 

But many believe the official count has been slow to confirm AH1N1 flu and the actual toll could be much higher.

 

Argentina is now the world's second worst affected country in the global pandemic, behind only the US.

 

Argentine authorities have taken a number of measures - including bringing forward school vacations, decreasing public celebrations and closing public gathering spaces - to limit spread of the virus.

 

Latin America has continued to record AH1N1 flu fatalities, with 25 in Chile so far, 11 in Uruguay and a regional total around 180.

 

More than 90,000 AH1N1 flu cases have been reported worldwide, including 429 deaths, the most recent WHO numbers show.