Argentina and Chile have registered their first cases of coronavirus, an Argentinian who recently traveled to Italy and a Chilean who stayed in Southeast Asia, according to the health authorities of these two countries.
In Argentina, a 43-year-old man " returning from Italy " was placed in solitary confinement in a private clinic in Buenos Aires, " fortunately with a (health) profile that is not complicated, " announced the minister. Argentine Health Minister Gines Gonzalez at a press conference. Gonzalez said the patient had traveled to several European countries, but stayed mainly in Italy, before returning to Argentina on March 1. He went to a hospital the same day he arrived. " We will try to prevent this from spreading ," said the minister, ensuring that the Argentinian health system was ready to face the situation. In the capital, the health authorities have activated a protocol which notably provides for the dissemination of various instructions, such as respecting hygienic measures and not going to the hospital in case of symptoms, but rather calling a doctor.
In Chile, a 33-year-old man, who has traveled for several months to several countries in Asia, has been diagnosed with coronavirus, announced Minister of Health Jaime Mañalich also at a press conference. The patient, whose condition is not cause for concern, was hospitalized in Talca, a town 350 km south of Santiago. According to hospital director Alfredo Donoso, the man returned to Chile on February 25 and began showing " fairly mild " respiratory symptoms a week after his return. " He arrived with a high fever, but it returned to normal afterwards and he has no symptoms, " he added. In addition to these two countries, Brazil, Mexico, Ecuador and the Dominican Republic have recorded cases of covid-19 in Latin America.
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