Doctors are on high alert over a mystery flu-like illness similar to Covid that has left people critically ill in Argentina. International public health surveillance system, ProMed, issued an alert after 60 cases of the unknown sickness were reported in Buenos Aires.
The PromMed system first alerted the world to Covid in 2019. The new alert reads: "In the past 30 days, there appears to have been an increase in severe atypical pneumonia requiring critical care in Buenos Aires. The affected individuals are mostly young people without major risk factors."
It's reported that patients have needed mechanical ventilation to help them breathe. Over a third of those affected showed symptoms of psittacosis, a disease caused by a type of chlamydia found in birds. However, many had no apparent history of contact with birds, the alert noted.
Psittacosis, also known as parrot fever, is causing concern with its flu-like symptoms that can escalate to pneumonia. It's a particular worry for the elderly or those with weakened immune systems, reports the Daily Star. The alert warned: "Although psittacosis appears to be the etiology of some of the cases, there may be more than one agent involved."
The Daily Mail reports that experts are urging health officials not to take the situation lightly, despite reassurances that it's "unlikely this will pose a threat more widely".
The World Health Organisation has warned of a rise in cases of psittacosis in Europe, where five people have died. Humans can become infected through contact with birds and health authorities in Austria, Denmark, Germany, Sweden and The Netherlands have reported higher-than-normal cases counts in 2023 and 2024.
There have also been reports in the USA. The first person-to-person cases of the illness were found in Sweden and China in 2013, 2020 and 2022.
Anyone who develops symptoms – including fever and chills, a cough, headache, and muscle aches – should tell their doctor about any known recent contact with wildlife.
Symptoms begin five to 14 days after a person was exposed and fewer than one in 100 cases are fatal.