Buenos Aires - The number of swine flu cases in Argentina rose drastically on Friday, with the new government health minister reporting an estimated 100,000 cases of of the A(H1N1) virus. But he clarified that the estimate covers all seasonsl flu cases in Argentina this year, and said the number is not out of line with flu numbers in past years.
At least 44 people have died, including two new deaths in the province of Santa Fe, the country's new Health Minister Juan Luis Manzur said. The estimate of infected includes those who have already recovered, minor cases and those without symptoms, he said.
About 2,800 cases have been confirmed as A(H1N1) by laboratory studies during the current South American winter.
Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner on Friday called for "responsibility" when dealing with the health crisis, as she visited a hospital in the suburbs of Buenos Aires that was focusing on the treatment of serious cases of the new flu.
"We are facing a pandemic, we have our heads wide open based on scientific criteria and under the advice of scientists," she said.
Manzur noted that most flu cases in the country are now regarded as involving the new virus.
"We infer that 85 per cent of the virus that is circulating this year is H1N1," he said.
However, Manzur toned down the panic around the new virus.
"When you start to compare with earlier years we have very similar figures," he said.
According to the minister, there are about 4,000 deaths per year in Argentina of influenza-type diseases. This year, despite the emergence of the new virus, the authorities do not expect flu deaths in general to rise, he said.
The last official figure released last week stood at 1,587 infected and 26 dead. Argentina has seen the third most deaths from the virus after Mexico and the United States.
The country has closed most public facilities, including schools, universities and courts. Many cities and towns have also ordered the closure of shops, restaurants, cafes, sports centres and dance halls.
