Swine flu: What was the outcome of the meeting of Health Ministers from six South American countries?

The meeting was held in Buenos Aires at a meeting between those responsible for public health with the representatives of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Bolivia and Chile, and epidemiology experts, to discuss how to tackle the pandemic, ended with these words from Argentine Minister Juan Manzur: “We have agreed to be extremely careful because we do not know whether there will be a second wave of infections”

The meeting lasted over four hours, where officials described the health situation in each country and shared experiences on how to tackle the outbreak.

According to the official report, the provision of antivirals to the region was another issue discussed at the meeting this Wednesday.

Manzur declared that “It is said that by the end of the year the vaccine will be available, but we are seeing that a lot of production is already sold”

Director general of the Department of Epidemiological Surveillance, Eduardo Hage, avoided confrontation when he was asked on  the lower number of flu victims registered in Brazil as compared to Argentina, saying that “the pandemic arrived in Brazil two weeks later “and the climate is warmer in Brazil, which may also have  influenced “

Argentina, said so far 137 deaths from H1N1 virus infection registered, and decided not to report  the number of infections and deaths in the future.

In Brazil there wer only 4 deaths so far.

In Bolivia, there were two deaths according to the Health Minister of that country, Jorge Ramiro Tapia, and denied versions of more deaths.

Paraguay reported 3 fatalities.