The Swine Flu Crisis in Argentina, Brazil

With all the hand wringing about the upcoming flu season by most major media outlets in the U.S., there’s been little coverage of the toll that the Swine Flu or H1N1 virus is currently exacting in Argentina and Brazil.

Health officials in Argentina recently disclosed that the Swine Flu has killed 465 people.

On Sunday, Colombian President Alvaro Uribe contracted the Swine Flu on his trip to Argentina where he attended a special summit of South American leaders.

Travel Alert. The U.S. State Department issued a travel alert in July warning U.S. citizens of the health risks of traveling to Argentina.

While the alert is set to expire on Sept. 14, it seems like that it will be extended given the number of deaths resulting from the flu strain.

The greatest number of Swine Flu deaths have occurred in Brazil, which has counted 557 fatalities. Second to Brazil is the U.S., which as seen 522 deaths from the virus.

Photo by Esparta (Via Creative Commons)