Friday, January 27, 2023 | 8:45 a.m.
The Evita Pueblo de Berazategui Hospital, through the Municipality, reported that two men aged 48 and 36 died on January 12 and 17, as a result of diarrhea and vomiting, with subsequent unfavorable evolution.
Both claimed to have consumed meat and offal days prior to the onset of symptoms. Fecal matter cultures revealed the presence of salmonella and shigella bacteria. “The case of the deceased people drew attention due to its severity and toxicity. Regardless of the medical treatment, the two people presented multi-organ failure and died,” explained Dr. Martín Garaycochea, associate director of the Evita Pueblo Hospital, in dialogue with TN.
According to the sources, the two deceased people had no relationship and the product they ingested was not bought in the same store. Given this, the Directorate of Bromatology of the Municipality of Berazategui was informed, which proceeded to take samples of the purchased merchandise, which were sent for analysis to SENASA (National Service for Agro-Food Health and Quality) and INAL (National Food Institute). .
“We cannot confirm that the bacteria were in the meat they ate. We made the complaint to Epidemiology of the Municipality and Bromatology took samples from different places that were sent to SENASA and INAL for analysis. They are going to determine where the bacteria is,” said Garaycochea.
Despite the confirmation of these two cases, the municipal Public Health and Hygiene Secretariat reported that there is no increase in cases of diarrhea in the Primary Health Care Centers (CAPS). The Hospital Evita Pueblo de Berazategui did not detect a flood in patients admitted with these symptoms either. For its part, the municipality of Berazategui closed the butcher shop from where the products went on sale.
In fact, a possible third case is under study. This is a person who was also hospitalized for poisoning. “She is a person who is in therapy and, so far, the only thing that has been cultivated is a bacterium that has nothing to do with the other two cases. Although it is not ruled out, it is not confirmed that it is the same case either. Although he is still on a respirator, he is improving and they took some drugs to keep the pressure on the values that he has to have. There is no culture that confirms that it is a shigella or salmonella,” said the associate director of the Evita Pueblo Hospital.
Prevention measures
Given what happened, from the hospital they reinforced the hygiene and care prevention measures in food handling, the conservation of their cold chain and the correct and frequent washing of hands. “The first thing with food is to maintain the cold chain, the second is to see the origin of the food and the degree of contamination that it may have. And in the event of an episode of diarrhea, you have to hydrate and consult the doctor immediately ”, recommended Garaycochea.
Likewise, the Municipality of Berazategui reported that it will initiate legal actions against those who originated and/or originate false news to alarm the population.
This warning, by the municipality, is the product of false news about a “rare virus” that caused a series of deaths in a chain and that alarmed the residents of the area. The fake news reported that, by ingesting contaminated food, 15 children had lost their lives. The information went viral and sparked different versions of the same topic.
