WHO has published Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome – Argentine Republic. Excerpt:
On 19 December 2018, the Argentinian Ministry of Health and Social Development issued an epidemiological alert regarding an increase in cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) in Epuyén, Chubut Province. Between 28 October 2018 – 20 January of 2019, a total of 29 laboratory-confirmed cases of HPS, including 11 deaths have been reported in Epuyén, Chubut Province. Epuyén has a population of approximately 2 000 persons, and Chubut Province is located in Patagonia in southern Argentina.
The index case had environmental exposure prior to symptom onset on 2 November, and subsequently attended a party on 3 November. Six cases who also attended the party experienced the onset of symptoms between 20-27 November 2018. An additional 17 cases, all of whom were epidemiologically-linked to previously confirmed cases, experienced symptom onset between 7 December 2018 and 3 January 2019 (Figure 1). Potential human-to-human transmission is currently under investigation.
Of the confirmed cases, 59% were female, and had an incubation period ranging from 8 to 31 days. Approximately 50% of these confirmed cases reported symptoms within the past three weeks. Cases were confirmed by ELISA IgM u-captura or by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
As of 17 January 2019, a total of 98 asymptomatic contacts have been identified and are being monitored for the potential development of symptoms.
In Argentina, four endemic regions have been identified: North (Salta, Jujuy), Centro (Buenos Aires, Santa Fe, and Entre Ríos), Northeast (Misiones) and Sur (Neuquén, Río Negro, and Chubut). Between 2013 and 2018, an average of 100 confirmed cases were registered annually, with the provinces of Buenos Aires, Salta, and Jujuy having the highest numbers of cases.
Between 2013 and 2018, 114 confirmed deaths from hantavirus were reported in Argentina, with a case-fatality rate of 18.6%, though this figure was close to 40% for some provinces in the southern region of the country.
In Chile, one of the confirmed cases was a healthcare worker who resides in Palena Province, Los Lagos Region, and reported experiencing symptoms on 2 January 2019. The case had a travel history to Epuyén for one day in mid-November, and later hosted and cared for a confirmed case from Epuyén while she was in her prodromal phase.
This is the first confirmed case of hantavirus in Los Lagos Region in 2019. During 2018, there were eight cases of hantavirus reported in Chile, including two deaths.
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