The Argentine Ministry of Health reinforced its recommendation to discourage non-essential foreign travel – including tourism – after 44 cases of Covid-19 were reported on the same plane returning from Cancun.
This Saturday it was reported that 44 young people returning from graduate trips on a flight that arrived in the country from Cancun, Mexico, tested positive for coronavirus. Control measures were established between all the jurisdictions involved.
The case served as an argument for the Ministry of Health of the Nation to ratify the recommendation to avoid travel abroad for non-essential reasons, given the risk of transmission in the country of new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that circulate to international level.
“Control actions are being articulated with the national level and with all the jurisdictions involved, since the Ministry of Health of the City of Buenos Aires gave notice this Saturday to the central level, about 44 travelers out of a total of 149, from from the city of Cancun, Mexico, who presented a positive antigen test against SARS-CoV-2 upon arrival in the country. ”
It is about 44 young residents in the City of Buenos Aires and in the province of Buenos Aires who returned from graduate trips from Cancun, Mexico
Immediately, the Ministry reported, the following control actions were ordered:
Identification and isolation: The National Migration Directorate was requested to provide a complete list of passengers on the flight, in order to identify their close contacts, initiate contact tracing and strictly monitor the mandatory quarantine of each one, by each of the jurisdictions where the youth reside.
Diagnosis: A PCR test was requested from the 44 people who presented a positive antigen test.
Genomic sequencing: Positive samples by PCR will be sent to the National Reference Laboratory, ANLIS-Malbrán, for their genomic sequencing of SARS-CoV-2, in order to monitor possible variants of the virus.
Recommendations and requirements
Taking into account the international epidemiological situation, in relation to the circulation of new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and the risk of their transmission in our country, it is recommended:
Avoid international travel for non-essential reasons.
A negative PCR test must be presented in a mandatory manner within 72 hours prior to shipment.
Upon arrival in the country, you must quarantine for 10 days from the negative PCR, which is also mandatory.
Additionally, it must comply with the recommendations defined by the jurisdictions in relation to entry from abroad.
More restrictions
The Argentine government formalized on Saturday the measure to reduce the frequency of flights arriving from abroad to minimize air contact with countries with high circulation of new variants.
The rule established that the frequencies of air services between Argentina and Mexico and Europe are kept reduced to 30% and, from now on, that same limit will apply to flights to and from Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Panama and Chile.
In addition, the restrictions that already existed for flights with the United States were increased by 10% and by 20% for flights with Brazil, after it was confirmed that the closure of the border with that country was not under analysis.
