2009 swine flu pandemic in South America
 | This article documents a current event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses, and initial news reports may be unreliable. The latest updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. (June 2009) |
The 2009 flu pandemic in South America, part of an epidemic in 2009 of a new strain of influenza A virus subtype H1N1 causing what has been commonly called swine flu, has (as of 9 June 2009) afflicted at least 2,000 people in South America, with at least 4 confirmed deaths. On 3 May 2009, the first case of the flu in South America was confirmed in a Colombian man who recently travelled from Mexico -- since then, it has spread throughout the continent, excluding the Guianas. By far, the most affected country has been Chile, with more than 2,300 confirmed cases, 2 deaths, and the highest per capita incidence in the world.
The World Health Organization warned about the arrival of the winter in the southern hemisphere, where there are seasonal peaks of flu, that could increase the number of infections.[1]
Overview
 Confirmed cases followed by death Confirmed cases Unconfirmed or suspected cases |
 500+ cases 50+ cases 5+ cases 1+ cases |
| Country | Cases | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| Laboratory confirmed | Confirmed | |
| Totals | 7,924 | 30 |
 Chile
|
5,186 | 7 |
 Argentina
|
1,391 | 21 |
 Brazil
|
400 | 0 |
 Peru
|
299 | 0 |
 Uruguay
|
195 | 0 |
 Venezuela
|
152 | 0 |
 Ecuador
|
115 | 0 |
 Colombia
|
71 | 2 |
 Paraguay
|
58 | 0 |
 Bolivia
|
44 | 0 |
 Suriname
|
13 | 0 |
Affected countries
According to an Epidemic Alert order issued by the Ministry of Health, Airlines have been required to report passengers with influenza symptoms arriving from Mexico and United States. Passengers from these countries must fill out a form to be located should they experience any symptoms.[2] In addition, the government has also stepped up safety checks, and thermal scanners are being used on airports to detect passengers with fever and other influenza symptoms. As of April 28, the Government has suspended all flights originated from Mexico until May 15 as a precautionary measure.[3]
On May 7, Health Authorities confirmed the first case, a tourist that had recently returned from Mexico. 55 other suspected cases continue to be studied under isolation.[4]
On May 22, Health Authorities confirmed the second case, a woman who had arrived from the United States about 20 days ago.[5]
At May 23, there were 221 possible cases, two have been confirmed, 173 were negative for influenza A (H1N1) and 46 cases are under study.[6]
On May 24, three more cases were confirmed.[7]
On May 25, 14 more cases were confirmed, increasing the number of cases to 19.[8]
On May 27, 18 more cases were confirmed, increasing the number of cases to 37.[9]
On May 28, 33 more cases were confirmed, increasing the number of cases to 70.[10]
On May 29, 10 more cases were confirmed, increasing the number of cases to 80.[11]
On May 30, 20 more cases were confirmed, bringing the total cases to 100. There were suspected 371 cases being studied.[12]
On May 31, 15 more cases were confirmed, bringing the number of cases to 115.[13]
On June 1, 16 more cases were confirmed, increasing the number of cases to 131.[14]
As of June 22, according to Asociación Boliviana de Información the number of cases is 22.[15] The departament with more cases is Santa Cruz with 18 cases.
Two people who had arrived in Brazil from Mexico with symptoms of an undefined illness were hospitalized in São Paulo on April 25. It was initially suspected that they were suffering from the swine flu virus.[16] The Brazilian Ministry of Health later issued a press release stating that while the exact cause of the two patients illnesses remained unknown, they "did not meet the definition of suspected cases of swine influenza because they did not have signs and symptoms consistent with the disease: fever over 39 °C, accompanied by coughing and/or a headache, muscle and joint pain."[17]
The press release also stated that airports would monitor travelers arriving from affected areas, under the direction of the National Sanitary Surveillance Agency (ANVISA). Air crews were trained on signs and symptoms of swine influenza so that passengers displaying symptoms would receive guidance from ANVISA upon arrival.
On May 30, the Minister sayed that the country has 20 confirmed cases, 8 in São Paulo, 5 in Rio de Janeiro, 4 in Santa Catarina, 1 in Minas Gerais, 1 in Rio Grande do Sul and 1 in Tocantins. Three of the 5 cases in Rio are of transmission inside the country and two of the four in Santa Catarina are two.
On June 2, 3 more cases were confirmed, one in São Paulo and two in Rio de Janeiro, increasing the number of cases to 23.
On June 4, the number of confirmed cases increase to 28 with another 3 in São Paulo and 2 in Mato Grosso do Sul.
On June 19, the total number of confirmed cases was 131[18], being 55 in São Paulo, 26 in Santa Catarina, 19 in Minas Gerais, 15 in Rio de Janeiro, 4 in Tocantins, 3 in Distrito Federal, 2 in Espírito Santo, 2 in Goiás, 2 in Mato Grosso, 1 in Bahia, 1 in Rio Grande do Norte and 1 in Rio Grande do Sul.
Confirmed Cases
On April 27, the Assistant Secretary of Health Jeanette Vega, confirmed that there are eight suspected cases of swine influenza in the country, which are being examined at the Hospital del Tórax in Santiago. Five other cases have been dismissed by the authorities.[19]
On April 28 the Health Ministry announced 26 cases under investigation: 16 in Santiago; 2 in Atacama; 2 in Valparaíso; 4 in O´Higgins Region; 1 in Biobío and 1 in Araucanía. 16 other cases have been dismissed.[20]
On May 1, the Health Ministry announced that it continued to investigate 4 suspected cases: 2 in Santiago, 1 in Valparaíso and 1 in Araucanía. To date, 80 suspected cases have been examined by the Health Ministry; 76 of those have been dismissed.[21] Another suspected case was identified on May 2, bringing the number of cases under investigation to 5.[22]
On May 10, the Health Ministry announced that 116 cases have been dismissed, and there are no cases pending test results.[23]
On May 17, the Chilean Health Minister confirmed, the first case of A(H1N1) flu in Chile,[24] the same day two more cases were confirmed.[25]
On May 29, the Chilean Health ministry confirmed the number of cases of A-H1N1 had risen to 224,[26] the same day two more cases were confirmed.[27]
On June 3 Chile suffered its first confirmed death of swine flu. A 37 year old man from Puerto Montt.[28]
On June 9, the Ministry confirmed the number of cases had risen to 1694 and the number of deaths to 2. In this report, the minister stated that 1.7% of the cases have required hospitalization, 0.12% have resulted in death, 35,3% are being isolated in their residences while the remaining 63% are said to be in full recovery.[29]
On June 12, the Ministry confirmed the number of cases had risen to 2335. In the report, the minister stated that 2.4% of the cases have required hospitalization, 0.08% (2 cases) have resulted in death, 53% of the cases are men and 66% is from 5 to 19 years old.[30]
The Minister of Social Protection, Diego Palacio Betancourt, announced on April 26, 2009, that 12 suspect cases had been detected, 9 in Bogotá and 3 on the Caribbean coast. Samples of the virus have been sent to the USA for comparisons and analysis. Results of the testing were expected within few days. On April 27, the Government declared a "national disaster" state[31] in order to face the emergency, which allowed health authorities to have a special budget to do so.[32] As of April 28, most of the suspect cases were excluded, with only four remaining: three Mexican teachers in Bogotá, and one person in Cartagena.[33] Another 38 suspect cases were under observation.[34] On April 29, the suspect cases raised to 49, with 10 of them "highly" suspect.[35] The government purchased 400,000 oseltamivir(Tamiflu) doses, which will be distributed through the Social Protection ministry to the affected if there are confirmed cases.[36]
On May 3, 2009, Minister Palacio confirmed the first case of A(H1N1) in Colombia,[33] in a 42-year-old person from Zipaquirá, who recently travelled to Mexico.[37] According to Palacio, only one out of 18 tests sent to Atlanta was positive. The patient was isolated and put under medical treatment. On the same day, Palacio stated there were 108 suspect cases in the country. On June 9, first death of H1N1 was confirmed.[37] Ten days later, a local newspaper El Tiempo annunced a new death on Bogota, reported at June 21.[38]
Health officials are carrying out checks on people with flu symptoms entering the country from sea or air.[39] On April 29, Ecuador closed its borders to Mexican citizens and foreigners of other nationalities arriving from Mexico for a period of 30 days.[40] On May 15, Health officials confirmed the first case of AH1N1 flu in Ecuador.[41] On May 20, the Health Department confirmed 7 more new cases of AH1N1, raising the total number of infected people to 8,[42] the number has now risen to 41.[43]
On June 1, the Minister of Health confirmed the first 5 cases in the country but stated that the situation was under control.[44]
On June 8, twenty more cases were confirmed by the Ministry of Health raising the total number to 25.[45]
The Governor of Callao, Alex Kouri, ordered that all passengers from any infected country, mainly Mexico, Canada and USA, must be checked before their arrival on Peruvian territory. Also, the Peruvian government must be warned of any case or symptom of fever. This step is in order to prevent any infections, since the main port and airport of Peru are located in Callao. Also, the government has prepared a special area at the Hospital "Daniel Alcides Carrión" to treat cases of this disease.[46]
The first suspicious case has been detected in the morning of April 27, 2009. It was a Peruvian woman who returned from Mexico.[47]
In Peru 5 people were considered suspects with the virus, but as of April 28 have been confirmed to be healthy and not carrying the H1N1 virus. The government has stated that the country is clean, but efforts are being made to examine slaughterhouses and they are screening incoming passengers from problem areas.[48]
On April 29, Peru's Health Minister Oscar Ugarte confirmed one case of swine flu. On April 30, he said the case is not entirely confirmed. Having recently visited Mexico, the patient was flying in a Copa Airlines airplane from Panama to Buenos Aires on April 28, but the flight was diverted to Lima due to her illness. The crew only notified of the suspicion of swine flu only after the passenger had checked in the airport. Three more suspected cases were being investigated. Ugarte also announced the suspension of all commercial flights from Mexico to Peru.[46] On May 14, Ugarte totally confirmed a case of swine flu from a peruvian woman who returned from New York, plus another suspected case in Trujillo from another woman in the same flight. On May 17, the second case was confirmed, an American born man residing in Arequipa. He had returned from the US on May 12, not showing any symptoms until two days later.[49]
On May 18 a new case was confirmed, a scholar returning from a trip to Dominican Republic, that studied in the Altair school. Classes for her class in that school had being suspended until May 25. 19 May, another case of a scholar from the same trip to Dominican Republic. Student had contact with 3rd victim and both studied in the same school.[50]
On June 15, the first case of flu was confirmed in the country.[51] On June 17, 12 more cases were confirmed.
Uruguay confirmed its first two cases on May 27 in a 27 year old man and a 15 year woman who recently arrived from Argentina.[52]
On June 8, two private schools in Montevideo were closed in order to prevent an increase in the number of infected people.[53]
On June 11, the number of cases on Uruguay increased to 36.
As of June 12, the Ministry of Health won't give anymore information about new cases, since the flu has entered into a pandemic phase, arguing that it's no longer needed. However, they will start studying possible outbreaks inside the country. To date, there are 1500 suspected cases.[54]
As of June 22, the Ministry of Health confirmed 195 cases present in the country.[55]
Controls have been raised at airports to prevent contagion from spreading. Travellers from the United States and Mexico with flu symptoms are being isolated until they are given the all clear. Pig farms in the country are being "closely inspected" and stockpiles of medicines built up.[39]
On May 28 the Health Minister, Jesús Mantilla, confirmed the first case of the A/H1N1 flu in a Venezuelan citizen who arrived in a flight from Panama four days ago. He was isolated to the place he is receiving treatment and his condition is stable.[56] The following day, a second case was confirmed from another person who also arrived from the same flight.[57]
On June 1 another case was tested positive and was also linked to the previous two cases.[58]
On June 3 a fourth case was confirmed from a male citizen who arrived from Brazil. The Minister of Health confirmed that all the patients are stable and there is no need to alarm the population.[59]
On June 8, the number of confirmed cases increased to 12 also from citizens who arrived from Panama, France and the U.S.A.[60] Later that day a 13th case was confirmed, this time an 9 year old boy who recently came from Colombia.[61]
On June 9, one more case was confirmed again in the Andean region.[62]
On June 14, The number of venezuelans infected with the virus AH1N1 rose to 44 this day, reported in statements to the Bolivarian News Agency (ABN) the Deputy Minister of Health Networks of the Ministry of People's Power for Health Nancy Perez. In this way, 44 cases of the virus AH1N1 in the country are divided into the following Federal Entities: 17 Miranda, Anzoategui 10; Táchira 4 Aragua 4; Merida 2; Vargas 2; Bolivar 2; Zulia 1; Carabobo 1 and Nueva Esparta 1.[63]
Timeline
| 2009 | A(H1N1) Outbreak and Pandemic Milestones in South America |
|---|---|
| 3 May | First case confirmed in Colombia.
|
| 7 May | First case confirmed in Argentina.
|
| First case confirmed in Brazil.
| |
| 14 May | First case confirmed in Peru.
|
| 15 May | First case confirmed in Ecuador.
|
| 17 May | First case confirmed in Chile.
|
| 19 May | First case confirmed in Paraguay.
|
| 27 May | First case confirmed in Uruguay.
|
| 28 May | First case confirmed in Bolivia.
|
| First case confirmed in Venezuela.
| |
| Community outbreaks confirmed in Argentina.
| |
| 30 may | Community outbreaks confirmed in Chile.
|
| 2 June | First death confirmed in Chile.
|
| 9 June | First death confirmed in Colombia.
|
| 15 June | First death confirmed in Argentina.
|
| 16 June | First confirmed case in Suriname.
|
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