Authorities in Argentina are looking into the cause of several cases of severe pneumonia at a private clinic.
Three people have died so far, six other patients showed similar symptoms and were treated, the Tucumán Provincial Ministry of Health announced on Thursday.
Tests at the renowned Malbrán Institute for Covid-19, hantavirus and several strains of Legionella were initially negative. Further tests for various viruses and bacteria should follow.
“It’s way too early to speculate. Now we just have to wait for the diagnosis,” wrote the infectiologist Leif Erik Sander from the Charité Berlin on Twitter. “But the fact that medical staff is affected at least makes you sit up and take notice.” All those affected were employees or patients at the Luz Médica clinic in San Miguel de Tucumán.
Authorities in Tucumán reported the cases to the Pan-American Health Organization (Paho). Accordingly, the first patients complained between August 18 and 22 about fever, body and abdominal pain and shortness of breath.
Several of those affected were nurses. According to the Ministry of Health, all patients belonged to the risk group: they were smokers or had a history of respiratory diseases, obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure.
