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Flu virus death toll rises to seven in Chile
Web posted at: 6/24/2009 2:33:58
Source ::: AFP
SANTIAGO: Chile, among the South American countries hardest hit by the swine flu, confirmed yesterday two new deaths from the virus, bringing the country?s death toll from the outbreak to seven.
The sixth victim was a 45-year-old woman from the Rancagua area, 80km south of Santiago who died on Saturday, nearly a week after being hospitalized with pneumonia, health authorities said.
A 67-year-old woman ?who had been hospitalized for eight days? and had suffered ?from pre-existing pulmonary fibrosis? was the seventh victim, according to a report by the Los Lagos regional health ministry.
The woman was from Osorno, a city in the region about a hundred kilometers from Puerto Montt, an area where most of Chile?s fatalities from the A(H1N1) virus have been concentrated.
Located in the cold, damp Patagonia region, Puerto Montt is 1,100km of Santiago.
Swine flu has proved particularly resilient in southern Latin America, where the epidemic is gathering pace in part due to the Southern Hemisphere?s harsh winter.
Argentina has so far confirmed the most deaths from the epidemic in the region, with seven fatalities and 1,010 thought to be infected.
But neighboring Chile has confirmed even more cases of infection, around 4,315.
The Chilean government last week declared a health emergency, which allows hospitals to hire additional staff and to quickly purchase any supplies deemed necessary to deal with the pandemic.
All Chileans will be entitled to receive antiviral treatment free of charge and experts estimate that up to 21,000 people could seek treatment.
Worldwide, swine flu has now caused 231 deaths and infected 52,160 people in 95 countries and territories, according to the latest World Health Organization (WHO) figures.
Flu virus death toll rises to seven in Chile
Web posted at: 6/24/2009 2:33:58
Source ::: AFP
SANTIAGO: Chile, among the South American countries hardest hit by the swine flu, confirmed yesterday two new deaths from the virus, bringing the country?s death toll from the outbreak to seven.
The sixth victim was a 45-year-old woman from the Rancagua area, 80km south of Santiago who died on Saturday, nearly a week after being hospitalized with pneumonia, health authorities said.
A 67-year-old woman ?who had been hospitalized for eight days? and had suffered ?from pre-existing pulmonary fibrosis? was the seventh victim, according to a report by the Los Lagos regional health ministry.
The woman was from Osorno, a city in the region about a hundred kilometers from Puerto Montt, an area where most of Chile?s fatalities from the A(H1N1) virus have been concentrated.
Located in the cold, damp Patagonia region, Puerto Montt is 1,100km of Santiago.
Swine flu has proved particularly resilient in southern Latin America, where the epidemic is gathering pace in part due to the Southern Hemisphere?s harsh winter.
Argentina has so far confirmed the most deaths from the epidemic in the region, with seven fatalities and 1,010 thought to be infected.
But neighboring Chile has confirmed even more cases of infection, around 4,315.
The Chilean government last week declared a health emergency, which allows hospitals to hire additional staff and to quickly purchase any supplies deemed necessary to deal with the pandemic.
All Chileans will be entitled to receive antiviral treatment free of charge and experts estimate that up to 21,000 people could seek treatment.
Worldwide, swine flu has now caused 231 deaths and infected 52,160 people in 95 countries and territories, according to the latest World Health Organization (WHO) figures.