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MSNBC Reports Outbreak in Mexico, U.S. Tied To New Swine Flu The unique strain of swine flu found in seven people in California and Texas has been connected to the deadly flu that has broken out in Mexico, killing as many as 60 people, NBC News has confirmed.
Authorities in Mexico asked the Public Health Agency of Canada to help identify the cause of the lung illness linked to 20 deaths, including two in the state of Baja California Norte, which borders California. The Mexican cases include five health- care workers, the Ottawa-based agency said in an e-mail today.
UPDATE: Mexico shuts schools over deadly influenza epidemic
Mexico authorities have closed all schools in the capital and central Mexico as the WHO announced hundreds of human cases of swine flu in the country, including 57 suspected deaths.
The outbreak has killed at least 20 people in the past month, Health Minister Jose Angel Cordova said in announcing the school closures.
Tests in Mexico found patients were infected with H1N1 and type-B influenza strains and the parainfluenza virus, the agency said. In the U.S., doctors discovered a new strain of H1N1 swine influenza in patients in San Diego County and Imperial County, California, and in San Antonio, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta said today.
“It will be critical to determine whether or not the strains of H1N1 isolated from patients in Mexico are also swine flu,” Donald Low, an infectious diseases specialist at Toronto’s Mount Sinai Hospital, told the Canadian Press.
Canada Issues Travel Advisory
Canadians who have recently returned from Mexico should be on alert for flu-like symptoms that could be connected to a severe respiratory illness, federal health officials said Thursday in issuing a travel advisory.
A severe respiratory illness appears to have infected 137 people in south and central areas of Mexico, with cases concentrated in Mexico City and three other areas, including 20 deaths, the Public Health Agency of Canada said.
[…] Swine flu news updates will be posted here continually throughout the day. Our original post on the swine flu outbreak in Mexico and the US can be read here. Swine Flu – Outbreak in Mexico, U.S. Tied To New Unique Strain […]
Oh my goodness!
I bought a ticket for my vacation to Mexico back in March 27th. Now I don’t know what to do! I’m going to Acapulco and mexico city; I hope everything is clear next week.
Diana–don’t go. It is just that simple. I wouldn’t go. It isn’t worth it.
Let’s put this in perspective, 20 people have died in a country of a 100,000,000 people. Let’s keep some perspective here. You can bet those who died had a compromised immune system, so keep your body strong, and don’t worry about it.
Dana, Bsrbara is right – don’t go. It won’t be cleared up. They’re saying there are probably a lot more cases incubating right now and a pandemic might be inevitable. If you have the option, cancel your trip – especially to Mexico City. And if you absolutely must go, wash your hands constantly with antibacterial soap, use antibacterial hand gel, don’t put your hands near your face, and stay away from crowded areas (I don’t know if that’s possible in Mexico City).
I just flew through Mexico City yesterday. I noticed many people, mostly employees at the airport, with face masks. There were three people sneezing on my plan from Atlanta to Mexico City. I am concerned; I have to fly back through there on Friday.
I was in mexico from march 15 to April 19. I was at the airport on April 19, in mexico city. My wife lives in Coroba,Veracruz State in Mexico. I am very worried for her. Mexico City and Oaxaca the other city where a case was reported are north and south of her. In direct proximity. We were married on the 2nd of april and I am here in the U.S. and her in Mexico because we need to wait for all the immigration garbage. Talk about worry……
I live in mexico city, at this point most of the population has avoided going into malls, theaters, restaurants, or any place with large crowds. The threat is real, but precautions will reduce the risk: avoid crowds, don’t kiss or handshake anyone, take Vitamins AC&D, use of antiviral drugs such as GABIROL and ZOVIRAX (both can be bought in mexico without prescription due to the emergency). A vaccine for H1N1 is not available yet, but last season vaccine might give some protection.
All schools will be closed until april 6th but businesses will be open as usual.
For the travelers, open air activities have the lowest risk, as sunlight and UV will kill the virus. Just avoid crowds, elevators and waiting lines. If you cant return to the US, try close by city of Cuernavaca. Don’t stay in your hotel room and if you do, don’t use the AC, open a window or go outside.
I hope that the United States citizens X their plans to go to MEXICO.. the swine flu has originated there and all of the cases in united states are directly linked to MExico. please don’t risk the community for what you may think is fun in mexico. be careful and be safe
ROb you sound like you are talking about TB.. the sunlight kills the TB germ…
The flu has to be spread from one person to the next. so…..your info is for the wrong virus.
I just landed 30 mins ago from mexico and its a big deal down there. There were doctors in the airport and everyone wore mask. So far my wife and I feel find but does anyone know when we are in the clear, 5 days without systoms or? I dont want to leave the house because if I do start feeling bad, it would already be to late.
I am going in July To puerto vurlatta .. would that be safe to go?
I think you should be clear Joe, after 48 hours or so. Glad to hear you are doing well and at home. Keep washing your hands and take care of hygiene though, no matter where on the globe you are now and keep distance ~2m or so from sneezing folks 😉
I am booked to go to mexico mayan riviera on May 6th, I’m very scared but my friends still want to go. I dont know what to do, I dont have cancelation insurance, and many people are just saying that the media is over reacting! I dont know what to do!
I am booked to go to mexico mayan riviera on May 6th, I’m very scared but my friends still want to go. I dont know what to do, I dont have cancelation insurance, and many people are just saying that the media is over reacting! I dont know what to do!
I am an American with 3 small children living an hour or two south of Mexico City with my Mexican husband. I am worried about this, however, when I read the panic about it worldwide, I also worry about the control on border issues having a negative effect because I am looking foward to more of an open relationship between the US and Mexico so that we can move to the US with my husband, for the fact that I miss my family. I am afraid that people will just write it off as Mexico is diseased or something. But as far as the virus, I do not think that you have to be afraid of dying, todays health care is advanced. There have only been cases in Mexico of deaths and it is more than likely out of igmorance. They only know what they have been taught from their mothers, like to put a wet washcloth on the forehead, and because there are a lot of families with little money that they will spend on food to live. If you are a relatively healthy person, I think that it would just be like a bad bug, nothing more. Actually I am wondering how far back this has been going on because we were all real sick with the flu about 2 months ago. We couldnt get rid of it and we ended up going back to the doctor, and he started us all on daily injections on penicillin, because the prescription he gave us was not working. But this worldwide panic and stocks falling and everything is getting a little on the crazy side. I wonder why the world walks on eggshells. Almost every country is modern and civilized, not too many countries are remotely similar to Mexico. It is absolutely beautiful here, however, the people stick with their roots and are behind at least with the US on different health issues. It is very easily remidied if the US wants to help educate, because these people love their children just as much as you do.
Don’t be silly. Antibacterial soap will do absolutely nothing to prevent a viral infection, besides the fact that you’re scraping it off your hands by scrubbing. The critical thing about washing your hands is the rubbing. Rubbing the soap on your hands, paying attention to under the nails (but dont use something sharp) and between the fingers removes the most pathogens (bacteria, fungi, and virus) from your hands. Touch as few things as possible after washing, use a dry towel to turn off the water and open the door handle, then throw it in the trash bin while holding the door open with your foot.
Many of these cases have been in people who were otherwise healthy before. So far, little is known about this particular virus. If you begin to experience symptoms of respiratory illness, get in touch with your doctor. It’s also allergy season, but don’t write something off as allergies if they’re at all different from what you’ve experienced before. We can all play a part in this.
We are planning our annual scuba trip with our family, grandparents to Playa Del Carmen mid June. I really hope things have cleared up by then. According to our dive instructor she said she has not heard of any cases yet in the playa area.
I am leaving for Playa Del Carmen tomorrow morning. Everyone is begging me not to go. Is there any cases in the Cancun/Rivera Maya area? I don’t know what to do!!
My son will be attending language school in Cuernavaca in May. What’s the situation there? I noticed the school is closed until May 6th, but not a great deal of information otherwise.
Cuernavaca is where we live. There have, so I have heard been only a couple cases reported here, but I am sure that will rise, when I look at the figures around the world how fast it goes from 2 to 20. I thought it was no big deal a couple days ago, but now that this evening my 10 year old son has a sort of whooping type of cough, I am afraid that I will have to deal with the possibility of my family all dying off. I will take him to the doctor tomorrow morning. But for the people who want to travel, yeah, its no problem to be sick, you eventually get over it. But when you have the weight of the seriousness of this virus in the back of your head while your sick, I am sure that you may not want to risk travel. Why worry yourself. Go later. As far as the majority here, I only see that they think it is no big deal, that it could be a trick for the government to get money, or that it came from New York, or that you shouldnt eat pork. I do not think that negative thinking is accepted even if it is for protecting lives. Everyone I know are not paying too much care to the whole thing. Go figure….
All of the media and hype (Travel Advisories, News etc) just warns against ‘Mexico’ (as is done with the warnings about Drug Wars, etc). Mexico is approx. 800,000 SQUARE MILES!!! with population of more than 100 MILLION people. It would be much more responsible if the Media (and Governments) would be more specific with respect to which regions are affected. Have there been Swine Flu incidents in the ‘Mayan Riviera’? I haven’t been able to find any info on this. We go to Playa Del Carmen often and get outraged at the irresponsible media reports and Government issued travel advisories targeted at the WHOLE of Mexico.
Hi everyone,
My fiance and I had planned our honeymoon to Riviera Maya and we debated and debated. We get that most of this is hype and that it cannot compare to the regular flu deaths that happen weekly in the United States year after year. Our concern was MUCH less about getting the flu but perhaps the hysteria over the matter. Friends in Puerto Vallarta said it killed the “mood” to see folks walking around in masks and many restaursants that folks enjoy are closing down due to concerns. I understand why – while its hype – there is still liability. I also don’t want to gamble with this since its our honeymoon – if it was a regular vacation i might have been less motivated to make the change. However, i don’t want to get inspected upon arrival at Cancun airport nor travel with a stranger in a cab that might or might not have been infected.
SO on that note – because we smartly purchase Travel Insurance through Expedia we can get an entire refund from Expedia on our hotel rooms and a credit for our airfare. We have rebooked today to go to Turks and Caicos. We’re very excited and feeling relief and hoping to think less and less about the pandemic and trust that it will work itself out.
This is to Lori, I’m surprised your tour operator hasn’t postponed your flights. I have a friend of mine scheduled to go May 2 but his flights have been postponed until June 1. Maybe you should call your travel agent to check things out.
well guys! i live here for many years and let me tell you that all the news that u heard there, are looking forward to be a big notice in the medios, and of course they make the things bigger than actually are, theres no frighten to come over here. of course you heard about people dying here, but you have to remember that those people doesnt had the resources to go to a doctor, so dont be ignorant and see: actually all the people that dies in Mexico from this desease are people from the getto, so be smart, and dont cancel the vacation of your life.
I leave to the Riviera Maya May 8th and Continental in not canceling the flights thus far. I haven’t heard of any cases near that area I’m just going to be careful same as I would anywhere. Unless they try to cancel my flight I”m still going and cannot wait!!!