Argentina: Health authorities to quarantines cargo ship after crew member shows mpox symptoms

According to a spokesperson for the Argentine Ministry of Health, the inspection will be conducted by the border health service, which has already made contact with the ship’s crew. The vessel, identified as the Liberia-flagged Ina-Lotte,was anchored in a river near its destination in San Lorenzo as of 6:10 p.m. ET, according to the ship tracking service MarineTraffic. The ship's last stop before arriving in Argentina was Santos, Brazil.

Health officials plan to board the Ina-Lotte to assess whether the symptoms displayed by the crew member align with mpox. If the symptoms are confirmed, medical personnel will take samples for further analysis. In the meantime, the ship will remain in the harbor, and the entire crew will be quarantined until the results of the tests are available.

As of now, the Ministry of Health has not disclosed the number of crew members aboard the vessel. The situation is being closely monitored as authorities take the necessary precautions to prevent any potential spread of the disease. (ILKHA)