MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Vizzotti, Manzur land in Tucumán as healthcare workers catch pneumonia

One Tucumán healthcare worker is in serious condition with pneumonia of unknown causes

Argentine Health Minister Carla Vizzotti and Cabinet Chief Juan Manzur arrived in Tucumán Friday after five healthcare professionals were reported to be suffering from pneumonia. Manzur is also a physician and a former federal Health Minister (2009-2015), in addition to being the current Governor of Tucumán, albeit on unpaid leave while discharging duties for the federal government.

They were both welcomed by acting Governor Osvaldo Jaldo. During their presence in the provincial capital, the local government was to take delivery of 8 ambulances donated by federal authorities.

Tucumán's Health Ministry announced Wednesday that five healthcare professionals working at private facilities were suffering from pneumonia. Three of them are currently hospitalized, and one of them is in a serious condition. The causes of the malady they are suffering have not yet been determined.

Vizzotti had also announced from Casa Rosada on Thursday the arrival of 1,100,000 doses of a bivariate vaccine against Covid-19 from Pfizer, which were to be added to the booster injection program. The new drug protects against the coronavirus originating in Wuhan, China, as well as against the Omicron variant and its sublineages, it was explained.

“First Pfizer will arrive and then Moderna,” who shall be sending some 3 million doses by Feb. 6, Vizzotti said. Another 1,200,000 doses of Pfizer are to arrive on Feb. 13, she added.

According to the Argentine Health Ministry, 89 people died of Covid-19 last week and 19,416 infections were detected.