Three people have died since Monday of this respiratory disease. Covid-19 disease has already been ruled out according to health authorities. A third person died of “pneumonia of unknown origin”, apparently located in a clinic in Tucuman, in the northwest of Argentina, local health authorities announced on Thursday. press the provincial Minister of Health, Luis Medina Ruiz. Tests are in progress on the origin of the disease, but Covid, influenza, influenza type A and B, or hantavirus (transmitted by rodents) have already already been ruled out, according to the minister. Samples were sent to the Argentine Reference Laboratory, the Malbran Institute in Buenos Aires. The third victim is “a 70-year-old patient, who was hospitalized” for surgery at the same clinic where the other cases are staff members. caregiver. According to Luis Medina Ruiz, she could be “in principle the + zero patient +, but it is under examination”. Ongoing analyzes on water and air conditioning systems On Wednesday, the minister had described the common symptoms of patients as “a severe respiratory condition with bilateral pneumonia, and imaging very similar to Covid, but this has been ruled out”. The six initial cases had presented symptoms between August 18 and 22, the three new cases announced on Thursday presented symptoms between the 20th and the 23rd. Among these three new cases, two are hospitalized, and a follow-up at home. The Minister of Health of Tucuman estimated Wednesday that the origin of the pathology could be an infectious agent, but that were not excluded “toxic, environmental causes”. Analyzes are also underway on water and air conditioning systems.