Colombia’s Health Ministry Monday announced six indigenous children,
all refugees, contracted AH1N1 in Bogota. The children are in
hospital for treatment.
Earlier Monday, Bogota councilor and indigenous representative Ati Quigua had warned about the dangers of the displaced indigenous population in Colombia’s capital, that often finds its members suffering malnutrition and with a weakened immune system.
57 of the displaced members of the Embera Katio tribe who found refuge near the city’s Central Cemetary had been in touch with the 48-day-old indigenous baby that died Saturday, a local Health official told local media.
The grandma of the deceased baby told newspaper El Espectador two more of her grandchildren were diagnosed with AH1N1.
The newspaper visited the refugee shelter and none of the inhabitants of the shelter us masks to protect themselves from a possible infection. Local health authoritie say the displaced refuse to.
