ZURICH (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 06th September, 2022) The World Health Organization (WHO) currently does not recommend imposing restrictions on travel to Argentina despite an outbreak of legionellosis in one of the provinces, the organization said on Monday.
"WHO advises against the application of any travel or trade restrictions on Argentina based on the current information available on this event," the organization said in a statement.
The WHO also did not recommend any extra measures for travelers. According to the organization, in case of any symptoms indicating a respiratory illness, during or after the trip, travelers should seek medical help and tell a doctor their travel history.
On August 29, the Ministry of Health of Argentina reported that the number of victims of Legionnaires' disease, an outbreak of which occurred in a private hospital in the Argentine northwestern province Tucuman, had grown to six.
Legionellosis, also known as Legionnaires' disease, was first identified in the United States in 1976 among the participants of the congress of the American Legion, an organization of US war veterans created after the end of the First World War. The outbreak caused sever pneumonia among the participants of the congress.
Legionnaires' disease is transmitted through contaminated water particles. When the Legionella species get into the respiratory tract, they cause a disease with flu symptoms that leads to pneumonia. Currently there is no vaccine that either prevents or treats the disease. Legionellosis can only be addressed by implementing water safety plans to prevent its spread. However, early diagnosis and treatment with antibiotics can reduce the severity of the disease and prevent complications.
