Mob stones Chilean bus amid flu fears

May 23, 2009

11:46 AEST Sat May 23 2009

Chile has reported 15 new cases of swine flu, hours after Argentine protesters

stoned a Chilean bus with tourists suspected of carrying the virus and police

fired rubber bullets to disperse the mob.

" The Institute of Public Health has confirmed 44 cases of A(H1N1) flu in Chile, "

officials said on Friday, upping the total by 15.

Chile has the largest number of recorded cases in South America.

On Thursday, police in the Argentine border state of Mendoza fired into the air

to disperse a crowd that had attacked a bus with tourists whom they suspected

were carrying the disease.

Residents of the town of Godoy Cruz were trying to stop the 43 passengers, one

of whom had flu-like symptoms, from reaching a local hospital where they were

required to appear.

That prompted Chilean Interior Minister Patricio Rosende to call for calm:

" There is no reason whatever for the kind of hysteria that has been seen in some

areas over the presence of a person who is possibly affected, " he said.

Argentina, which soon faces legislative elections, was among the first countries

to suspend flights to and from Mexico after the outbreak of the disease.

But on Friday authorities in Buenos Aires said it would not close the border

with its western neighbour, despite the spike in cases in Chile.

Two swine flu cases have so far been confirmed in Argentina.

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