The epidemiological alert continues for adulterated cocaine, which has so far caused 20 deaths

One of the discharged patients. Photo: Leo Vaca

The Buenos Aires Government ratified the continuity of the epidemiological alert due to the situation generated from the consumption of adulterated cocaine, which so far it caused 20 deaths and kept 84 people hospitalizedconsidered that the situation is “stabilized and controlled” and warned that it could “have been a much greater tragedy.”

Kicillof indicated, through his Twitter social network account, that they held a “new meeting of the Emergency Committee to continue monitoring the health, police and judicial situation of the poisoned cocaine case,” where he posted a photo of the meeting by electronic means that he held with his government team.

“The epidemiological emergency continues and all the areas involved maintain their deployment and coordinated work,” tweeted the provincial president.

New meeting of the emergency committee to continue monitoring the health, police and judicial situation in the case of the poisoned cocaine. The epidemiological emergency continues and all the areas involved maintain their deployment and coordinated work. pic.twitter.com/42CrgOUBHj

— Axel Kicillof (@Kicillofok) February 3, 2022

For his part, the head of advisers to the governor of the province of Buenos Aires, Carlos Bianco assured that the situation due to the consumption of adulterated cocaine “is stabilized and controlled”but warned that “it could have been a greater tragedy if it had not been possible to detect the other doses” of similar drugs seized last night in different raids carried out in the district.

During a press conference at the gates of the Hurlingham Municipal Hospital, together with the Buenos Aires Ministers of Security, Sergio Berni; and Health, Nicolás Kreplak, Bianco accused the leaders of Together for Change of “caranchear” and of making “a political opportunism of a complex situation” such as that generated by the consumption of adulterated cocaine in the suburbs.

Kreplak, for his part, assured that during Wednesday night and Thursday morning there were “no more deaths to regret” since the figure of 20 people remained, while another 84 remain hospitalized, of which 20 are in critical condition with mechanical respiratory assistance (MRA) in hospitals in the districts of San Martín, Tres de Febrero, Tigre, General Rodríguez, Moreno, Morón, Ituzaingó, Hurlingham, San Isidro, Vicente López and Malvinas Argentinas and Merlo, who joined by referrals.

The health portfolio indicated that the Buenos Aires health system received 214 consultations for poisoning and confirmed that the epidemiological alert issued this Wednesday “will continue because this substance can still circulate.”

Kreplak also highlighted that three of the people intoxicated with adulterated cocaine who were discharged on Wednesday had to be treated later in Buenos Aires hospitals because they consumed that substance again.

“We had three cases of people discharged with intoxication on Wednesday night, who returned this Thursday because they consumed again“, raised the official in statements to the TN signal.

Kreplak reiterated the request to the community not to consume the drug acquired in the last 24 or 48 hours and remarked, however, that the area where the adulterated cocaine was sold “was disrupted and 20,000 doses were seized.”

The official reiterated the request to the community not to consume the drug acquired in the last 24 or 48 hours and remarked, however, that the area where the adulterated cocaine was sold “was disrupted and 20,000 doses were seized,” with which “a catastrophe was averted”.

The minister highlighted the actions of the health teams that “with many reflections” quickly issued a protocol, and “this could save dozens of lives”, and emphasized that the care capacity of critical patients in the guards “has grown a lot” based on “the investment made by the governor during the pandemic”, which made it possible to meet this demand.

“We probably wouldn’t have had the capacity to serve everyone,” he reflected.

“These are very complex situations, the problematic use of substances must be taken very seriously,” said Kreplak, consulted by the TN channel, adding that it is necessary to “take advantage” of social awareness of what happened to “work more strongly on prevention.” .

During the early hours of Thursday “admissions and consultations with the health system were mostly mild cases that remained under observation and consultation with the Provincial Toxicology Center was not required. These cases referred to an altered state of consciousness, vomiting, dizziness and headache. “, they recorded from the Buenos Aires government.

“We were working all night in two areas: the health issue, where we were concerned and occupied that more cases would occur and luckily none of them generated more deaths. And Berni, with the Ministry of Security and the Police, carried out multiple raids, where additional doses of narcotic drugs similar to those of Wednesday were found. Weapons were also seized and there were detainees, “said Bianco.

On Wednesday, the Ministry of Health of the province of Buenos Aires set up an Emergency Committee to “follow the evolution of cases in real time and in coordination with the toxicology services of the Buenos Aires network, which was operational throughout the early morning.

On the other hand, it was reported that “the distribution of medicines for the adequate treatment of patients was reinforced, two mobile intensive care units were added to the transfer system and an epidemiological alert was issued to all hospitals in Buenos Aires.”