Paraguay’s health authorities have reported that sixteen people have died of dengue disease since the beginning of the year, ten directly infected and the other six as a consequence of other complications.
The number of tourists arriving to Uruguay in the first weeks of this summer season has dropped 14% compared to the same period a year ago, which represents 20.600 less, mostly Argentines and Brazilians, according to Benjamin Liberoff, Director of Tourism.
Uruguay’s economy is poised to grow 4% this year and in 2014, which is above the region’s average, according to the World Bank’s latest Global Economic Prospects issued this week. However Uruguay will be ranked twelfth in the growth ranking of Latinamerica this year but ahead of Brazil and Argentina with 3.4%.
The mosquito transmitted dengue disease can’t be eradicated, but only controlled at least this tropical summer admitted Paraguayan health officials after extending the national epidemics alert to the whole territory of the landlocked country.
Venezuela gave another step in its integration process as full member of Mercosur underlining recent achievements with its partners Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay but completely ignored Paraguay, the fourth full member currently suspended from the block.
Representatives from Unasur confirmed that they will be present to follow the April 2013 general elections in Paraguay, reported the spokesperson for the country’s Superior Electoral Justice Tribunal, TSJE.
Paraguay’s Health Ministry announced it will appeal to SMS messages as part of the awareness campaign to help prevent the mosquito transmitted dengue disease which this year has already caused 70 deaths and thousands of infections.
Prosecutors in Paraguay have filed charges against 14 peasants allegedly involved in a land dispute which resulted in the killing of 17 people last June, six months ago. The charges range from murder to criminal association and land invasion.
Foreign minister Jose Felix Fernandez Estigarribia said that Paraguay needs an open discussion on whether the country should remain or not in Mercosur, particularly since the issue has become extremely divisive. However the discussion must be addressed by the elected government that takes office in August 2013.
The giant East African snail, (Achatina fúlica), listed among the world’s top 100 invasive species, extremely voracious and which can transmit deadly diseases to humans has been found in empty lots in the Paraguayan city of Ciudad del Este, next to Brazil.