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The 2009 flu pandemic in South America was part of a global epidemic in 2009 of a new strain of influenza A virus subtype H1N1, causing what has been commonly called swine flu. As of 9 June 2009, the virus had affected at least 2,000 people in South America, with at least 4 confirmed deaths. On 3 May 2009, the first case of the flu in South America was confirmed in a Colombian man who recently travelled from Mexico – since then, it has spread throughout the continent. By far, the most affected country has been Chile, with more than 12,000 confirmed cases, 104 deaths, and the highest per capita incidence in the world.
Following an Epidemic Alert order issued by the Ministry of Health, airlines were required to report passengers with influenza symptoms arriving from Mexico and United States. These passengers had to additionally fill out a form specifying their whereabouts, should they experience any symptoms.[7] In addition, the government also stepped up safety checks, and thermal scanners were used on airports to detect passengers with fever and other influenza symptoms. In 28 April, the Government suspended all flights originating from Mexico until 15 May as a precautionary measure.[8]
On 7 May, Health Authorities confirmed the first case, a tourist that had recently returned from Mexico. 55 other suspected cases continue to be studied under isolation.[9]
On 15 June, the first confirmed death was reported. There were also 89 new confirmed cases, increasing the number of cases to 733.
On 25 June, a case of human-to-swine transmission was discovered in Buenos Aires province, resulting in the interdiction of the hog farm where it occurred.[10]
On 2 July, the newly appointed Minister of Health Juan Luis Manzur estimated the number of affected people to be as many as 100,000, as well as 52 confirmed deaths.[11][12]
As of 14 July, the number of officially recognised cases had gone up to 137 deaths.[13]
Bolivia
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H1N1 deaths in Bolivia
Confirmed deaths
Confirmed cases
H1N1 in Bolivia
As of 15 September, according to Agencia Boliviana de Información the number of cases is over 1,600 .[14] The department with most cases is Santa Cruz with more than 900 cases. Owing to the increasing number of cases Bolivian authorities have given students two additional weeks of vacations, and are canceling concerts and other big events. Viru Viru International Airport (Santa Cruz) authorities are checking every international and national passenger arriving. The Daddy Yankee concert is already suspended and now expected for August. The only department with no cases is Pando, and it is the least populated department. Two deaths were confirmed on 10 July, One of a six-year-old girl and one of a 50-year-old man, both from Santa Cruz. Most museums, cinemas and theaters are closed in Santa Cruz. Most restaurants are open and the biggest cinema in Bolivia, Cine Center, is open. The third death has been confirmed on 16 July. It was the first confirmed death in the department of La Paz. Pando, the only department in Bolivia, previously without the flu, has now some suspected cases. As at 21 July Bolivia has five confirmed deaths. The number of cases and deaths are increasing every day. Recently deaths have been confirmed in Tarija and Potosi making the numbers of deaths rise to nine. Confirmed deaths in El Alto and Cochabamba raised the numbers of deaths to 13. Some private and public schools have closed in Santa Cruz after finding students infected with the flu. The actual number of deaths is now 35.
Two people who had arrived in Brazil from Mexico with symptoms of an undefined illness were hospitalized in São Paulo on 25 April. It was initially suspected that they had the swine flu virus.[15] The Brazilian Ministry of Health later issued a press release stating that while the exact cause of the two patients illnesses remained unknown, they "did not meet the definition of suspected cases of swine influenza because they did not have signs and symptoms consistent with the disease: fever over 39°C, accompanied by coughing and/or a headache, muscle and joint pain."[16]
The press release also stated that airports would monitor travelers arriving from affected areas, under the direction of the National Sanitary Surveillance Agency (ANVISA). Air crews were trained on signs and symptoms of swine influenza so that passengers displaying symptoms would receive guidance from ANVISA upon arrival.
On 30 May, the Minister said that the country has 20 confirmed cases, 8 in São Paulo, 5 in Rio de Janeiro, 4 in Santa Catarina, 1 in Minas Gerais, 1 in Rio Grande do Sul and 1 in Tocantins. Three of the 5 cases in Rio are of transmission inside the country and two of the four in Santa Catarina are two.
On 2, 3 June more cases were confirmed, one in São Paulo and two in Rio de Janeiro, increasing the number of cases to 23.
On 4 June, the number of confirmed cases increase to 28 with another 3 in São Paulo and 2 in Mato Grosso do Sul.
On 6 August, the total number of confirmed cases was 10,894, the suspect cases was 200,000 and the deaths was 140.
On 26 August, Brazil is the country with the bigger number of deaths, surpassing even USA and Mexico, with 557 deaths.
Chile
Outbreak evolution in Chile:
Confirmed cases followed by death
Confirmed cases
Unconfirmed or suspected cases
Outbreak evolution in Chile: Confirmed Cases
50+ cases
5+ cases
1+ cases
no cases
On 27 April, the Assistant Secretary of Health Jeanette Vega, confirmed that there are eight suspected cases of swine influenza in the country, which are being examined at the Hospital del Tórax in Santiago. Five other cases have been dismissed by the authorities.[18]
On 28 April the Health Ministry announced 26 cases under investigation: 16 in Santiago; 2 in Atacama; 2 in Valparaíso; 4 in O'Higgins Region; 1 in Biobío and 1 in Araucanía. 16 other cases have been dismissed.[19]
On 1 May, the Health Ministry announced that it continued to investigate 4 suspected cases: 2 in Santiago, 1 in Valparaíso and 1 in Araucanía. To date, 80 suspected cases have been examined by the Health Ministry; 76 of those have been dismissed.[20] Another suspected case was identified on 2 May, bringing the number of cases under investigation to 5.[21]
On 10 May, the Health Ministry announced that 116 cases have been dismissed, and there are no cases pending test results.[22]
On 17 May, the Chilean Health Minister confirmed, the first case of A(H1N1) flu in Chile,[23] the same day two more cases were confirmed.[24]
On 29 May, the Chilean Health ministry confirmed the number of cases of A-H1N1 had risen to 224,[23] the same day two more cases were confirmed.[25]
On 3 June Chile had its first confirmed death of swine flu. A 37-year-old man from Puerto Montt.[26]
On 9 June, the Ministry confirmed the number of cases had risen to 1694 and the number of deaths to 2. In this report, the minister stated that 1.7% of the cases have required hospitalization, 0.12% have resulted in death, 35.3% are being isolated in their residences while the remaining 63% are said to be in full recovery.[27]
On 12 June, the Ministry confirmed the number of cases had risen to 2335. In the report, the minister stated that 2.4% of the cases have required hospitalization, 0.08% (2 cases) have resulted in death, 53% of the cases are men and 66% is from 5 to 19 years old.[28]
The Minister of Social Protection, Diego Palacio Betancourt, announced on 26 April 2009, that 12 suspect cases had been detected, 9 in Bogotá and 3 on the Caribbean coast. Samples of the virus have been sent to the US for comparisons and analysis. Results of the testing were expected within few days. On 27 April, the Government declared a "national disaster" state[29] in order to face the emergency, which allowed health authorities to have a special budget to do so.[30] As of 28 April, most of the suspect cases were excluded, with only four remaining: three Mexican teachers in Bogotá, and one person in Cartagena.[31] Another 38 suspect cases were under observation.[32] On 29 April, the suspect cases raised to 49, with 10 of them "highly" suspect.[33] The government purchased 400,000 oseltamivir(Tamiflu) doses, which will be distributed through the Social Protection ministry to the affected if there are confirmed cases.[34]
On 3 May 2009, Minister Palacio confirmed the first case of A(H1N1) in Colombia,[31] in a 42-year-old person from Zipaquirá, who recently travelled to Mexico.[35] According to Palacio, only one out of 18 tests sent to Atlanta was positive. The patient was isolated and put under medical treatment. On the same day, Palacio stated there were 108 suspect cases in the country. On 9 June, first death of H1N1 was confirmed.[35] Ten days later, a local newspaper El Tiempo announced a new death on Bogota, reported at 21 June.[36] On 17 July, El Tiempo reported the first death of swine flu outside of Cundinamarca, which is also the seventh in all of Colombia.[37]
On 30 August 2009, El Tiempo reported that president Álvaro Uribe had contracted the AH1N1 flu virus, becoming the second head of state to do so (the first being Óscar Arias).[38]
Health officials are carrying out checks on people with flu symptoms entering the country from sea or air.[39] On 29 April, Ecuador closed its borders to Mexican citizens and foreigners of other nationalities arriving from Mexico for a period of 30 days.[40] On 15 May, Health officials confirmed the first case of AH1N1 flu in Ecuador.[41] On 20 May, the Health Department confirmed 7 more new cases of AH1N1, raising the total number of infected people to 8,[42] the number has now risen to 41.[43]
The Governor of Callao, Alex Kouri, ordered that all passengers from any infected country, mainly Mexico, Canada and US, must be checked before their arrival on Peruvian territory. Also, the Peruvian government must be warned of any case or symptom of fever. This step is in order to prevent any infections, since the main port and airport of Peru are located in Callao. Also, the government has prepared a special area at the Hospital "Daniel Alcides Carrión" to treat cases of this disease.[46]
The first suspicious case has been detected in the morning of 27 April 2009. It was a Peruvian woman who returned from Mexico.[47]
In Peru 5 people were considered suspects with the virus, but as of 28 April have been confirmed to be healthy and not carrying the H1N1 virus. The government has stated that the country is clean, but efforts are being made to examine slaughterhouses and they are screening incoming passengers from problem areas.[48]
On 29 April, Peru's Health Minister Oscar Ugarte confirmed one case of swine flu. On 30 April, he said the case is not entirely confirmed. Having recently visited Mexico, the patient was flying in a Copa Airlines airplane from Panama to Buenos Aires on 28 April, but the flight was diverted to Lima due to her illness. The crew only notified of the suspicion of swine flu only after the passenger had checked in the airport. Three more suspected cases were being investigated. Ugarte also announced the suspension of all commercial flights from Mexico to Peru.[46] On 14 May, Ugarte totally confirmed a case of swine flu from a Peruvian woman who returned from New York, plus another suspected case in Trujillo from another woman in the same flight. On 17 May, the second case was confirmed, an American born man residing in Arequipa. He had returned from the US on 12 May, not showing any symptoms until two days later.[49]
On 18 May a new case was confirmed, a scholar returning from a trip to Dominican Republic, that studied in the Altair school. Classes for her class in that school had been suspended until 25 May. 19 May, another case of a scholar from the same trip to Dominican Republic. Student had contact with 3rd case and both studied in the same school.[50]
Suriname
On 15 June, the first case of flu was confirmed in Suriname.[51] On 25, 13 June more cases were confirmed. As of 12, 18 August cases are confirmed in Suriname.
Uruguay confirmed its first two cases on 27 May in a 27-year-old man and a 15-year woman who recently arrived from Argentina.[52]
On 8 June, two private schools in Montevideo were closed in order to prevent an increase in the number of infected people.[53]
On 11 June, the number of cases on Uruguay increased to 36.
As of 12 June, the Ministry of Health won't give anymore information about new cases, since the flu has entered into a pandemic phase, arguing that it's no longer needed. However, they will start studying possible outbreaks inside the country. To date, there are 1500 suspected cases.[54]
As of 22 June, the Ministry of Health confirmed 195 cases present in the country.[55]
On 29 June, the first death due to A H1N1 Influenza happens.
As of 3 July, four persons died because of this flu.
On 14 July the Ministry of Health confirmed 15 deaths as caused by this flu.
Controls have been raised at airports to prevent contagion from spreading. Travellers from the United States and Mexico with flu symptoms are being isolated until they are given the all clear. Pig farms in the country are being "closely inspected" and stockpiles of medicines built up.[39]
On 28 May the Health Minister, Jesús Mantilla, confirmed the first case of the A/H1N1 flu in a Venezuelan citizen who arrived in a flight from Panama four days ago. He was isolated to the place he is receiving treatment and his condition is stable. The following day, a second case was confirmed from another person who also arrived from the same flight.[citation needed]
On 1 June another case was tested positive and was also linked to the previous two cases.[citation needed]
On 3 June a fourth case was confirmed from a male citizen who arrived from Brazil. The Minister of Health confirmed that all the patients are stable and there is no need to alarm the population.[citation needed]
On 8 June, the number of confirmed cases increased to 12 also from citizens who arrived from Panama, France and the United States.[citation needed] Later that day a 13th case was confirmed, this time a 9-year-old boy who recently came from Colombia.[56]
On 9 June, one more case was confirmed again in the Andean region.[57]
On 14 June, The number of Venezuelans infected with the virus AH1N1 rose to 44 this day, reported in statements to the Bolivarian News Agency (ABN) the Deputy Minister of Health Networks of the Ministry of People's Power for Health Nancy Perez. In this way, 44 cases of the virus AH1N1 in the country are divided into the following Federal Entities: 17 Miranda, Anzoategui 10; Táchira 4 Aragua 4; Mérida 2; Vargas 2; Bolivar 2; Zulia 1; Carabobo 1 and Nueva Esparta 1.[58]
On 18 July, the first death by the virus was confirmed.
Timeline
2009
A(H1N1) Outbreak and Pandemic Milestones in South America
3 May
First case confirmed in Colombia. (first in South America)
7 May
First case confirmed in Argentina.
First case confirmed in Brazil.
14 May
First case confirmed in Peru.
15 May
First case confirmed in Ecuador.
17 May
First case confirmed in Chile.
19 May
First case confirmed in Paraguay.
27 May
First case confirmed in Uruguay.
28 May
First case confirmed in Bolivia.
First case confirmed in Venezuela.
Community outbreaks confirmed in Argentina.
30 May
Community outbreaks confirmed in Chile.
2 June
First death confirmed in Chile.
9 June
First death confirmed in Colombia.
12 June
Community outbreaks confirmed in Uruguay.
15 June
First death confirmed in Argentina.
16 June
First case confirmed in Suriname.
20 June
Community outbreaks confirmed in Venezuela.
25 June
First human-to-animal transmission of the virus in Argentina.
28 June
First death confirmed in Brazil.
29 June
First death confirmed in Uruguay.
30 June
First case of Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) resistance found in Chile.
1 July
First death confirmed in Paraguay.
5 July
First death confirmed in Peru.
7 July
First case confirmed in Guyana.
10 July
First death confirmed in Ecuador.
First death confirmed in Bolivia.
16 July
Community outbreaks confirmed in Brazil.
Community outbreaks confirmed in Colombia.
18 July
First death confirmed in Venezuela.
22 July
Community outbreaks confirmed in Peru.
23 July
Community outbreaks confirmed in Bolivia.
24 July
First case confirmed in Falkland Islands.
25 July
Community outbreaks confirmed in Ecuador.
26 July
Community outbreaks confirmed in Paraguay.
28 July
First case of Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) resistance found in Argentina.
31 July
First case confirmed in French Guiana.
First case of zoonosis in Brazil, where an infected pig infects a human.
12 August
First case of Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) resistance found in Brazil.
15 August
First case of Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) resistance found in Peru.
21 August
First case in birds confirmed in Chile.
26 August
First human-to-animal transmission of the virus in Brazil.
28 August
First case in birds confirmed in Brazil.
8 September
First death confirmed in Suriname.
8 September
First death confirmed in French Guiana.
3 November
First cases in ferrets confirmed in Brazil.
12 November
First feline zoonosis confirmed in Brazil.
19 November
First death confirmed in Falkland Islands.
28 November
First mutation (D222G) confirmed in Brazil.
30 November
First double infection case confirmed in Brazil.
3 December
First canine zoonosis confirmed in Brazil.
20 December
First completed clinical trials by a company for 2009/H1N1 vaccine in Brazil.
5 January 2010
Mass vaccinations in Brazil begins.
15 January 2010
Mass vaccinations in Peru begins.
Related Research Articles
In virology, influenza A virus subtype H1N1 (A/H1N1) is a subtype of influenza A virus. Major outbreaks of H1N1 strains in humans include the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, the 1977 Russian flu pandemic and the 2009 swine flu pandemic. It is an orthomyxovirus that contains the glycoproteins hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N), antigens whose subtypes are used to classify the strains of the virus as H1N1, H1N2 etc. Hemagglutinin causes red blood cells to clump together and binds the virus to the infected cell. Neuraminidase is a type of glycoside hydrolase enzyme which helps to move the virus particles through the infected cell and assist in budding from the host cells.
The 2009 flu pandemic in the United States was caused by a novel strain of the Influenza A/H1N1 virus, commonly referred to as "swine flu", that was first detected on 15 April 2009. While the 2009 H1N1 virus strain was commonly referred to as "swine flu", there is no evidence that it is endemic to pigs or of transmission from pigs to people; instead, the virus spreads from person to person. On April 25, the World Health Organization declared a public health emergency, followed concurringly by the Obama administration on April 26.
The 2009 swine flu pandemic in Canada was part of an epidemic in 2009 of a new strain of influenza A virus subtype H1N1 causing what has been commonly called swine flu. In Canada, roughly 10% of the populace has been infected with the virus, with 428 confirmed deaths ; non-fatal individual cases are for the most part no longer being recorded. About 40% of Canadians have been immunized against H1N1 since a national vaccination campaign began in October 2009, with Canada among the countries in the world leading in the percentage of the population that has been vaccinated. The widespread effect of H1N1 in Canada raised concerns during the months leading to the XXI Olympic Winter Games, which took place in Vancouver in February 2010.
This article covers the chronology of the 2009 novel influenza A (H1N1) pandemic. Flag icons denote the first announcements of confirmed cases by the respective nation-states, their first deaths, and relevant sessions and announcements of the World Health Organization (WHO), the European Union , and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
In March and April 2009, an outbreak of a new strain of influenza commonly referred to as "swine flu" infected many people in Mexico and other parts of the world, causing illness ranging from mild to severe. Initial reports suggested that the outbreak had started in February due to farming practices at a pig farm half-owned by Smithfield Foods. Smithfield Foods stated that it had found no clinical signs or symptoms of the presence of swine influenza in the company's swine herd, or among its employees at its joint ventures in Mexico, that it routinely administers influenza virus vaccination to their swine herds and that it conducts monthly testing for the presence of swine influenza. The new strain was identified as a combination of several different strains of Influenzavirus A, subtype H1N1, including separate strains of this subtype circulating in humans and in pigs. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) expressed serious concerns that the new strain, which transmits between humans and has had a relatively high mortality rate in the possible and confirmed Mexican cases, has the potential to become an influenza pandemic. It was reported that, because the virus was already widespread, containment would be impossible. The WHO declared a public health emergency of international concern in response to the outbreak on April 25, 2009.
In March and April 2009, an outbreak of a new strain of influenza commonly referred to as swine flu infected many people in Mexico and parts of the United States causing severe illness in the former. The new strain was identified as a combination of several different strains of Influenzavirus A, subtype H1N1, including separate strains of this subtype circulating in humans and in pigs. Spain was the first country in continental Europe to report cases of swine flu, in late April 2009.
This article deals with the status and efforts regarding the 2009 swine flu pandemic by country and continent/region.
In March and April 2009, an outbreak of a new strain of flu, popularly known as swine flu, was discovered to have infected several people in Mexico and the states of California and Texas in the United States. On April 28 Costa Rica became the first Central American country to report the outbreak of the virus, with a confirmed infection. As of November 4 the Costa Rican Ministry of Health had 1,596 confirmed cases, 1,275 pending cases, 8,000 already discarded, and 38 deaths.
The 2009 swine flu pandemic in Brazil began on April 25, 2009, with two people, spreading to 34 over the first two weeks. CDC calculate that Africa and Southeast Asia, which have 38% of the world's population, accounted for a disproportionate 51% of the deaths.
The influenza A virus subtype H1N1 arrived in Argentina in late April 2009, through air traffic contact with endemic areas, especially Mexico and the United States.
The 2009 flu pandemic in Asia, part of an epidemic in 2009 of a new strain of influenza A virus subtype H1N1 causing what has been commonly called swine flu, afflicted at least 394,133 people in Asia with 2,137 confirmed deaths: there were 1,035 deaths confirmed in India, 737 deaths in China, 415 deaths in Turkey, 192 deaths in Thailand, and 170 deaths in South Korea. Among the Asian countries, South Korea had the most confirmed cases, followed by China, Hong Kong, and Thailand.
The 2009 swine flu pandemic in North America, part of a pandemic in 2009 of a new strain of influenza A virus subtype H1N1 causing what has been commonly called swine flu, began in the United States or Mexico.
The 2009 flu pandemic in Oceania, part of an epidemic in 2009 of a new strain of influenza A virus subtype H1N1 causing what has been commonly called swine flu, has afflicted at over 22,000 people in Oceania, with 56 confirmed deaths. Almost all of the cases in Oceania have been in Australia, where the majority of cases have resulted from internal community spread of the virus. In addition, the government of New Zealand, where most of the remainder of cases in Oceania have occurred, is on high alert for any people travelling into the country with flu-like symptoms.
The 2009 flu pandemic in Europe was part of a pandemic involving a new strain of influenza, subtype H1N1. H1N1 is commonly called swine flu. The pandemic infected at least 125,550 people in Europe. There were 458 confirmed deaths in Turkey, 438 confirmed deaths in Russia, and 457 confirmed deaths in the United Kingdom.
The 2009 flu pandemic hit Africa two months later than other continents with the first case reported in Egypt on June 2, 2009. As of December 1, 30 countries in Africa had reported cases and 7 countries in Africa had reported a total of 108 deaths. It was the least affected continent.
The Influenza A (H1N1), also known by the name of swine flu, arrived to Uruguay on May 27, 2009.
The Influenza A (H1N1), also known as the swine flu, was detected in Venezuela on 28 May. The first infected person was a 22-year-old man in San Antonio de Los Altos, Miranda State. He was participating on a meeting in Panamá, and returned to Venezuela carrying the virus
The United States experienced the beginnings of a pandemic of a novel strain of the influenza A/H1N1 virus, commonly referred to as "swine flu", in the spring of 2009. The earliest reported cases in the US began appearing in late March 2009 in California, then spreading to infect people in Texas, New York, and other states by mid-April. Early cases were associated with recent travel to Mexico; many were students who had traveled to Mexico for Spring Break. This spread continued across the country's population and by the end of May there were approximately 0 confirmed cases throughout all 50 states.
The 2009 swine flu pandemic in New Zealand was caused by a novel strain of the A/H1N1 influenza virus. A total of 3,175 cases and 69 deaths were recorded, although a seroprevalence study estimated that around 800,000 individuals may have been infected during the initial wave of the pandemic.
The 2009 flu pandemic, an influenza outbreak commonly known as "swine flu", affected Portugal from May 2009 to early 2010. The outbreak caused 122 deaths in the country.
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