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Riot in Tucumán, Argentina: The reports of an unknown pneumonia spread beyond the continent
Photo: Diego Araoz / dpa
Fatal pneumonia among Argentine health workers.
This report caused a stir on Friday beyond the South American country - especially in view of the corona pandemic, which is still not over.
Now the authorities in Argentina have given the all-clear.
The pneumonia is due to legionella, Health Minister Carla Vizzotti said at a press conference in Tucumán.
Bacteria, not viruses.
The exact type has yet to be determined.
The deaths of a total of four people had been reported since Monday, who died of "pneumonia of unknown cause," as it was initially said.
A total of eleven people were sick.
All cases were found in the vicinity of a private clinic in Tucumán.
The health authorities then tried to find out which pathogen triggered the double-sided pneumonia, which was accompanied by a high fever and breathing difficulties.
The coronavirus, influenza A and B flu viruses and hantaviruses have already been ruled out as causes.
Lauterbach relieved
Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) is relieved that it is now only legionella.
“Not a new pandemic.
That would have been missing, "tweeted Lauterbach.
He responded to a tweet by Charité infectiologist Leif Erik Sander.
"No pandemic risk," wrote Sander, who had tweeted the day before that it "at least made people sit up and take notice" that medical staff were affected.
Legionella are heat-loving bacteria that multiply in fresh water and can cause severe pneumonia if people inhale the water contaminated with them in the form of very small droplets.
However, many infections are harmless and more similar to mild colds.
Older and weaker people are particularly at risk.
Infections can usually be treated well with the right antibiotics.
hba/AFP