Health & Science

• Monday, June 29th 2009 - 15:11 UTC

  Argentina ready to impose flu pandemic “sanitary emergency”

  

  Health authorities confirmed that this week Argentina will be declaring a “sanitary emergency” in the whole country given the advance of the A/H1N1 virus influenza that so far has killed 27 people and infected at least 1.800. Another victim of the pandemic is forecasted to be Public Health minister Graciela Ocaña.

• Friday, June 26th 2009 - 13:02 UTC

  Human-to-swine A/H1N1 virus contagion in Argentine hog farm

  

  Argentine health authorities have detected human-to-swine transmission of the A/H1N1 influenza virus in a farm in the province of Buenos Aires, it was officially reported Thursday.

• Thursday, June 25th 2009 - 17:12 UTC

  Argentina/ Chile react differently to Brazil’s travel warning on flu

  

  Argentina and Chile reacted differently to this week’s advice from the Brazilian government against travelling to A/H1N1 virus flu-stricken Argentina and Chile by people older than 60 and younger than 2 as well as those with weakened immune systems.

• Thursday, June 25th 2009 - 17:00 UTC

  UK cocaine capital of Europe; one in 100 Londoners “problem drug user”

  

  The United Kingdom is the cocaine capital of Europe, the United Nations has said. The UN Office on Drugs and Crime said the UK was Europe's largest cocaine market - with more than one million regular users.

• Thursday, June 25th 2009 - 06:43 UTC

  Paraguay hosts global conference to eradicate FMD in poor countries

  

  Paraguayan president Fernando Lugo opened Wednesday in Asuncion the world conference on “Foot and Mouth Disease; the way towards global control” organized by FAO and the World Organization for Animal Health, OIE.

• Tuesday, June 23rd 2009 - 11:45 UTC

  Andes Aymaras celebrate arrival of winter solstice and New Year 5517

  

  With hands extended towards the blue sky and at six Celsius below zero, thousands gathered on June 21st to receive the first sun rays from Tata Inti (Sun God) in Tiwanaku, Bolivia, in coincidence with the celebration of the winter solstice in the Southern hemisphere which signals the beginning of New Year Aymara 5517.

• Sunday, June 21st 2009 - 11:34 UTC

  A billion people hungry in 2009 because of the economic crisis, says FAO

  

  World hunger is projected to reach a historic high in 2009 with 1.020 million people going hungry every day, according to new estimates published by FAO this week.

• Friday, June 19th 2009 - 14:11 UTC

  A/H1N1 virus influenza deaths climb to six in Argentina

  

  Argentina health authorities announced Thursday two more people have died of A/H1N1 flu, raising the country's total to six. Buenos Aires province Health Minister Claudio Zin says a 15-year-old died in a clinic in La Matanza, while health officials in the capital are confirming the death of a girl. They did not give her age.

• Thursday, June 18th 2009 - 14:43 UTC

  Chile reports third death of influenza and declares “sanitary emergency”

  

  Chile officially declared state of sanitary emergency as the A/H1N1 influenza cases raised again in the last hours, with 3125 confirmed, three deaths and many blood samples still undergoing laboratory expertise.

• Wednesday, June 17th 2009 - 11:48 UTC

  Argentina’s A/H1N1 influenza deaths climb to four

  

  One day after reporting the first A/H1N1 flu fatality, Argentina announced three more deaths, bringing the total to four. Vice Minister of Health Carlos Soratti said two of the patients who died lived in Buenos Aires province and the third in the capital itself