Argentine officials declare emergency flu measures

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Health officials declared emergency measures on Tuesday to fight an outbreak of the H1N1 flu strain that has killed 26 people in Argentina, bringing forward winter vacation for several million school children.

The Argentine government has confirmed 1,587 cases of the new strain of virus, which is spreading during the southern hemisphere winter, but it has not yet declared a nationwide health emergency.

Instead officials in the capital and surrounding Buenos Aires province -- home to nearly half Argentina's 40 million people -- unveiled special measures to combat the virus and suspended classes.

"Families shouldn't treat this as extra holidays for the kids. They should see it as a time for the children to stay at home as much as possible and avoid places where people are crowded together," said Buenos Aires Mayor Mauricio Macri.

The health emergency aims to improve coordination between different state services and puts extra medical staff on stand-by, but does not involve closures of cinemas, restaurants or other public buildings.

Classes will also be canceled in the capital, Buenos Aires province and three other regions from Monday as officials bring forward winter vacations that had been due to start later in July.

"By suspending classes, we're protecting our students," said Buenos Aires provincial Governor Daniel Scioli.

Many of the flu cases have been reported in the densely populated working-class suburbs and impoverished slums in Buenos Aires province.

Argentina's health minister resigned on Monday and some local media reported she had faced opposition within the government to her proposals to combat the outbreak.

(With additional reporting by Lucas Bergman and Kevin Gray)