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MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, October 28th 2025 - 09:08 UTC

Health & Science

  • Wednesday, March 29th 2023 - 10:28 UTC

    Dengue kills 6 in Argentina

    Between 80 and 90 cases of dengue are treated daily at one single Buenos Aires hospital and the number of infections is growing

    Health authorities in the Argentine province of Tucumán Tuesday reported three more deaths due to dengue, which after last week's casualties, brings the total number of fatalities to six nationwide.

  • Wednesday, March 29th 2023 - 10:18 UTC

    WHO changes its mind on further Covid-19 vaccination schemes

    “Countries should consider their specific context when deciding whether to continue to vaccinate low-risk groups,” WHO's Hanna Nohynek explained

    The World Health Organization (WHO) has reviewed its guidelines on whom to keep vaccinating against Covid-19. As per the global agency's new recommendations, countries were advised to reconsider whether to continue giving booster shots to low-risk groups, such as healthy children and adolescents.

  • Monday, March 27th 2023 - 19:45 UTC

    Argentina bans the sale and import of e-cigarettes

    Electronic cigarette consumption in Argentina had relatively low values, reaching 1.1% of the adult population. However, it reached 7% of the population aged 13 to 15 years.

    The Ministry of Health of Argentina has prohibited the importation, distribution, commercialization, and advertising of different types of electronic cigarettes and their accessories “throughout the national territory”, due to their potential harm to health.

  • Saturday, March 25th 2023 - 10:36 UTC

    Falklands, no confirmed cases of avian influenza in wild or domestic birds

    Senior Veterinary Office, Zoe Fowler, “The fact that we have managed to avoid any real suspect, or confirmed case of avian influenza is a significant achievement.” Photo: WHO / Archive

    The Veterinary Department can confirm that, following a major implementation of enhanced bio-security across the Islands, there have, to date, been no confirmed cases of avian influenza (bird flu) in the Falkland Islands wild or domestic birds.

  • Friday, March 24th 2023 - 10:27 UTC

    Latin America and Caribbean: 37 million people lack drinking water

    Nearly 50% of the people in the region live in areas of “extreme” and “high” climate vulnerability, the OAS said. Photo: UNICEF

    The Organization of American States (OAS) denounced this week that some 37 million people in the region lacked drinking water and cited climate change as a possible cause.

  • Friday, March 24th 2023 - 02:33 UTC

    Crops revolution: England allows gene-edited food to be developed commercially

    The Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish governments have not permitted the commercial use of gene editing.

    Gene-edited food can now be developed commercially in England following a change in the law, reports BBC. Supporters of the technology say it will speed up the development of hardier crops that will be needed because of climate change.

  • Thursday, March 23rd 2023 - 10:35 UTC

    China's pork industry again faces an outbreak of African swine fever

    The disease has plagued China for years, with an initial wave during 2018 and 2019 killing millions of pigs and leading to a dramatic decline in meat output

    A surge in African swine fever infections in China is set to reduce hog output later this year, farm managers and analysts said this week, pushing up prices in the world’s top pork consumer as demand recovers.

  • Saturday, March 18th 2023 - 09:42 UTC

    WHO hopes to liken Covid-19 to seasonal flu this year

    Tedros was critical of China's withholding information on the virus

    According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Covid-19 might soon be similar to seasonal flu in terms of the threat it means to human life, it was announced as the global agency hopes to further reduce its maximum alert level this year.

  • Monday, March 13th 2023 - 11:38 UTC

    Technician with little political background to become Uruguay's new health minister

    Rando has received training in public health in London

    Anesthesiologist Karina Rando will take over from Daniel Salinas Monday as Health Minister of Uruguay, thus replacing the official who took center stage during the Covid-19 pandemic, it was reported in Montevideo. Salinas explained his resignation was for personal reasons to avoid further public exposure, particularly to anti-vaccine groups, and to devote himself to his profession as a neurologist.

  • Saturday, March 11th 2023 - 12:18 UTC

    Chikungunya: 43 deaths and 11,467 cases confirmed in Paraguay

    With 30% of healthcare staffers on sick leave, chikungunya is also creating a work overload for those still on call

    Paraguayan health authorities Friday confirmed 43 people had died nationwide of chikungunya, while the total number of cases rose to 11,467 over the past three weeks. Eight of the victims were children under one year of age, while 35 others were adults aged over 30, according to the latest epidemiological report released by the General Directorate of Health Surveillance. “The mortality rate is 0.6 per 100,000 inhabitants and the case fatality rate is 0.1 %,” the document read.