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MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, May 2nd 2026 - 02:00 UTC

Health & Science

  • Saturday, May 17th 2025 - 10:04 UTC

    Brazil: Avian influenza case confirmed in Porto Alegre

    Brazil has been monitoring avian flu since the 2000s

    Brazil's Agriculture and Livestock Ministry confirmed Friday the first case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) on a commercial poultry farm in Montenegro, in the Metropolitan Region of Porto Alegre, in Rio Grande do Sul.

  • Saturday, May 17th 2025 - 04:59 UTC

    Paraguay on alert over avian flu outbreak in neighboring Brazil

    The Senacsa adopted this measure while awaiting clearance to start beef exports to the Philippines

    Paraguay's National Service of Animal Quality and Health (Senacsa) issued Friday a sanitary alert, urging officials, producers, and citizens to report sick or dead birds and avoid handling them to prevent disease spread. The measure was adopted after Brazil confirmed its first outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in a commercial poultry farm in Rio Grande do Sul.

  • Friday, May 16th 2025 - 22:11 UTC

    Universidad Austral study finds Argentina's population to be ageing

    Argentina's fertility rate is below replacement values

    A study by the Universidad Austral’s Human Development Observatory, based on data from Argentina's National Institute of Statistics and Census (Indec), showed significant demographic shifts in the South American country, with the number of births dropping by 40% since 2014.

  • Monday, May 12th 2025 - 11:19 UTC

    France to resume parliamentary debate on assisted dying

    French Guiana could join Colombia as the only other place in South America allowing euthanasia

    France's Parliament is expected to resume this week the discussion on whether to legalize euthanasia or any other form of “dignified dying,” with two main bills on the table, one focusing on palliative care and the other seeking to move forward with assisted suicide. The debate had been halted in June when President Emmanuel Macron dissolved the National Assembly.

  • Saturday, May 10th 2025 - 10:28 UTC

    Irregularities found regarding Covid-19 vaccination in Chile

    A new vaccination strategy is needed, admitted Health Ministry official Elizabeth López

    Chile's Comptroller General of the Republic (CGR) spotted significant irregularities in the Health Ministry's Covid-19 vaccination registry for 2022-2023, such as using expired doses, inoculating deceased recipients, and inventory discrepancies.

  • Friday, May 9th 2025 - 20:38 UTC

    US servicepeople with gender dysphoria ordered to start voluntary discharge

    Gender dysphoria is medically incompatible with the standards necessary for military service, it was explained

    The US Department of Defense, following a Supreme Court ruling earlier this week, has initiated the removal of approximately 1,000 openly transgender service members from the military, effective immediately, pursuant to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's instructions.

  • Tuesday, May 6th 2025 - 10:30 UTC

    Ecuador under epidemiological alert for pertussis, yellow fever, and leptospirosis

    According to Lama, yellow fever “is contained” in the Ecuadorean Amazon

    Ecuador has mandated mask-wearing in schools across provinces like Guayas, Manabí, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Guayaquil, and Pichincha for 60 days due to an epidemiological alert caused by rising cases of whooping cough (321 cases, primarily in children) and yellow fever (four cases in Amazonian provinces).

  • Thursday, May 1st 2025 - 19:33 UTC

    Oldest person on earth dies aged 116 in Brazil

    Sister Inah was a fan of Porto Alegre's Sport Club Internacional (Inter)

    Brazilian nun Inah Canabarro Lucas, the world's oldest person, died at 116 on Wednesday in Porto Alegre, due to multiple organ dysfunction. Born on June 8, 1908, she dedicated her life to religious service as a teacher and secretary with the Teresian Sisters. She attributed her longevity to her faith in God and was known for her love of barbecue, football (supporting Sport Club Internacional), and painting. In 2018, she received an apostolic blessing from Pope Francis.

  • Thursday, May 1st 2025 - 18:55 UTC

    Unknown infectious agent kills eight Ecuadorean children

    The tests' results will be available around May 10

    At least eight Ecuadorean children in Taisha, in the province of Morona Santiago bordering Peru, died between February and April 2025 due to an unknown infectious agent, showing symptoms like fever, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, gastrointestinal issues, dehydration, and pneumonia. In this scenario, the Health Ministry has deployed extensive epidemiological efforts, including medical brigades, water and food analyses, and community interventions, but the cause remains unidentified.

  • Thursday, May 1st 2025 - 10:38 UTC

    Uruguay’s meat consumption hits nine-year high in 2024

    Some 10,000 tons of the traditional Uruguayan barbecue were sold to the public on Wednesday throughout the country, on the eve of International Workers' Day

    Uruguayans consumed nearly 100 kilograms of meat per person in 2024, the highest level in the past nine years, according to the country’s National Meat Institute (INAC). The data confirms a strong rebound in domestic demand for animal protein, particularly beef and poultry.