Paraguay: Two Children Die of Alleged Herbicide Poisoning
Paraguay: Two Children Die of Alleged Herbicide Poisoning
by Indy Staff, 23 July 2014.
Two children died and dozens of people were hospitalised this week in the Huber Duré colony, Curuguaty, after allegedly suffering from herbicide poisoning.
Three-year old Adelaida Álvarez died on Sunday morning, whilst six-month old Adela Álvarez died on Monday night after a doctor at the local hospital sent her back home despite her symptoms. The bodies of the two girls were taken to the morgue in Asunción for an autopsy.
Local doctor César Cáceres, who was on duty when the children arrived in hospital showing symptoms such as fever, headaches, nausea, and diarrhea, denied that the patients suffered from poisoning. “The patients show flu symptoms with cough and fever, but it is not due to an intoxication,” he said. Virgilio González, director of the hospital, stated that the cause of death was pneumonia.
However, the National Farmers’ Federation (FNC) has highlighted that a group of children from Huber Duré were taken to hospital showing these symptoms, as well as breathing difficulties, shortly after nearby soy fields were sprayed with herbicides in preparation for sowing. “It is a very potent herbicide,” said Marcial Gómez, of the FNC.
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