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Argentina Government Sets Friday As Holiday; Swine Flu Response



BUENOS AIRES -(Dow Jones)- Argentina's government has declared Friday will be a special holiday for government workers as part of the measures it's taking to deal with the A/H1N1 swine flu epidemic, an Interior Ministry spokeswoman said Tuesday.

Friday's special holiday ties in with Thursday's Independence Day holiday, which authorities believe people will use as an excuse to stay home, and therefore help slow the spread of the virus.

The Argentine Health Ministry on Sunday reported that the official death toll in Argentina from swine flu has reached 60, and there are a total of 2,485 officially confirmed cases.

However, many believe the official numbers lag the actual rate of infection, and that the real numbers are much higher.

-By Matthew Cowley, Dow Jones Newswires; +54 11 4103 6740; matthew.cowley@ dowjones.com

(Shane Romig contributed to this report)


  (END) Dow Jones Newswires
  07-07-091645ET
  Copyright (c) 2009 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

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