Argentinian authorities announced that two people died this week in the northwest of the country due to a case of severe pneumonia of "unknown origin," puzzling doctors. According to the Agence France-Presse, the health ministry of Tucumán province stated, "A total of 6 people have been affected by this illness, including one patient and five healthcare providers all working in the same intensive care unit at a hospital in the province."
Furthermore, it was mentioned, "One of the patients died on Monday and the other on Wednesday, while three were hospitalized for treatment, and the sixth patient is in home quarantine as their condition does not require hospitalization."
The provincial health minister, Luis Medina Ruiz, told reporters: "These patients share the fact that they have a severe respiratory condition with bilateral pneumonia, and their symptoms are very similar to those of COVID-19, but the possibility of them having COVID has been ruled out." He added, "The six affected individuals underwent a large number of tests, all of which returned negative results," noting that "among these tests were those for COVID, colds, influenza types A and B, hantavirus (a rodent-borne infection), and 25 other bacteria."
