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MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, April 24th 2024 - 20:53 UTC

Health & Science

  • Wednesday, December 20th 2023 - 20:22 UTC

    Falklands, new confirmed avian influenza case: black browed albatross

    A black browed albatross, that was found dead on Steeple Jason, was swabbed for highly pathogenic avian influenza. A positive result was returned. Steeple Jason has been declared out of bounds

    On Tuesday 28 November 2023 a black-browed albatross, that was found dead on Steeple Jason, was swabbed for highly pathogenic avian influenza. A positive result was returned.

  • Wednesday, December 20th 2023 - 10:19 UTC

    Uruguayan President and his children land in Antarctica

    Lacalle and his children were expected to stay at the Artigas base for nearly 24 hours

    The Uruguayan Air Force's Lockheed C-130 Hercules FAU 594 carrying President Luis Lacalle Pou and his children landed at the South American country's Artigas Base (BCAA) in Antarctica on Tuesday. “After 30 years, I have returned to Antarctica. The Artigas base houses military and civilians who work side by side,” Lacalle wrote on social networks.

  • Wednesday, December 20th 2023 - 09:28 UTC

    Covid-19: WHO labels Pirola a Variant of Interest

    For now, the risk to public health was deemed low

    The World Health Organization Tuesday (WHO) warned that in addition to COVID-19, other respiratory diseases such as influenza, RSV, and common childhood pneumonia were on the rise and advised people at risk to take precautionary steps.

  • Tuesday, December 19th 2023 - 10:00 UTC

    Brazilian court orders posts linking Covid-19 vax to VAIDS removed

    Brazil's AGU warned that the association of vaccines with AIDS harms public health

    The 20th Federal Court of Rio de Janeiro Monday ordered the removal of publications on websites and Telegram channels linking Covid-19 vaccines with the alleged development of a “vaccine-acquired immunodeficiency syndrome” (or VAIDS), Agencia Brasil reported.

  • Monday, December 18th 2023 - 09:58 UTC

    Covid-19: First Pirola case confirmed in Ecuador

    According to the WHO, “Pirola” is circulating worldwide and is considered a variant of concern

    Ecuadorian authorities confirmed Sunday the detection of the first case of the so-called Pirola variant (BA.2.86) of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in a woman in Quito, who has been reported to be stable and “receiving outpatient treatment at home,” according to a statement from the Health Ministry, which is carrying out an epidemiological follow-up and monitoring of the patient.

  • Tuesday, December 12th 2023 - 10:51 UTC

    More than 320 cases of equine encephalomyelitis detected in 7 Argentine provinces

    Vaccines are available, Senasa said

    Argentine health authorities have confirmed the detection of over 320 cases of equine encephalomyelitis, a malady that is transmitted through mosquito bites and is spreading rapidly nationwide and also onto neighboring Uruguay.

  • Tuesday, December 12th 2023 - 10:44 UTC

    UK and Chile signed a five year Antarctica Cooperation Agreement

    The Letter of Intent ensures closer co-operation

    Foreign Office minister for the Americas, the Caribbean, and British Overseas Territories, David Rutley, has been quite busy in his areas of influence. At the end of October, he visited Peru to commemorate two hundred years of close relations between Britain and the Andean country. Rutley later travelled to Santiago, where he also had a busy agenda given UK's and the Royal Navy strong alliance with Chile.

  • Sunday, December 10th 2023 - 11:31 UTC

    Bird flu expanding in Antarctica, high mortality among elephant seals

    Health experts say that even penguins are vulnerable to the bird-borne virus since they cluster together during the onset of the breeding season

    Mass elephant seal deaths have been reported in the Antarctic region after a high level of mortality has been detected among elephant seal pups at three sites around South Georgia. Animals have shown symptoms that are consistent with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), and the outbreak affects particularly the southern elephant seal species (Mirounga leonine).

  • Saturday, December 9th 2023 - 08:32 UTC

    Case of type 4 dengue reported in Rio de Janeiro

    More than 6,000 dengue viral identifications have been made this year, with only one type 4 case

    Health officials in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro have confirmed a case of type 4 dengue fever, which has not been seen in the area since 2018, Agencia Brasil reported. In response, measures are being considered to control the spread of the mosquitoes that transmit the disease (Aedes aegypti). More than 6,000 dengue virus cases have been identified this year, with 5,532 type 1 cases, 820 type 2 cases, and only one type 4 case.

  • Tuesday, December 5th 2023 - 10:40 UTC

    RRS Sir David Attenborough meets mega iceberg A23a drifting towards South Georgia

    New video footage shows the enormous iceberg, some 3,900km2 and 400m tall, twice the size of Greater London stretching out into the distance

    Scientists aboard the Falklands flagged RRS Sir David Attenborough collected samples of seawater around the A23a mega iceberg, the largest iceberg in the world. New video footage shows the enormous iceberg, some 3,900km2 and 400m tall, twice the size of Greater London stretching out into the distance beyond the research vessel.