The dire warning showed that world health officials are very worried about the potential for massive numbers of deaths worldwide from the mutated virus, even though the epidemic so far has claimed only a confirmed eight lives in Mexico and one in the United States. Roughly 170 deaths are suspected of having been caused by the virus in Mexico.
Switzerland on Thursday became the latest country to report a swine flu infection — a 19-year-old student who health officials said was mistakenly released from a hospital and then hastily readmitted. European Union health ministers planned emergency talks in Luxembourg to coordinate national efforts in preventing the spread of swine flu in Europe.
The Phase 5 alert, indicating a pandemic could be imminent as the virus spreads farther in Europe, prompted Mexico to announce the partial May 1-5 shutdown, Mexican Health Secretary Jose Cordova said late Wednesday.
In Washington, President Obama promised “great vigilance” in confronting the outbreak which has sickened nearly 100 people in 11 states and forced schools to close. A Mexican toddler who visited Texas with his family died Monday night in Houston, becoming the first fatality in the United States, and 39 Marines were confined to their base in California after one came down with the disease.
The virus, a mix of pig, bird and human genes to which people have limited natural immunity, has also spread to Canada, New Zealand, Britain, Germany, Spain, Israel and Austria.
“It really is all of humanity that is under threat during a pandemic,” WHO Director-General Margaret Chan said in Geneva. “We do not have all the answers right now, but we will get them.”
In a televised address, Mexican President Felipe Calderon praised “the heroic work” of doctors and nurses and asked his countrymen to literally stay in their homes between May 1 and May 5, saying “there is no safer place to protect yourself against catching swine flu, than in your house.”
“In recent days, Mexico has faced one of the most serious problems in recent years,” Calderon said Wednesday night. He brushed aside criticisms that his government’s response was slow, stressing several times that authorities had reacted “immediately.”
School in Mexico has already been canceled until May 6. During the shutdown, essential services like transport, supermarkets, trash collection and hospitals will remain open.
Calderon said authorities would use the partial shutdown to weigh whether to extend the emergency measures, or “if it is possible to phase out some” restrictions.
The outbreak appeared to already be stabilizing in Mexico, the epicenter. Confirmed swine flu cases doubled Wednesday to 99, but new deaths finally seemed to be leveling off after an aggressive public health campaign was launched when the epidemic was declared April 23. Although 17 new suspected deaths were reported, only one additional confirmed death was announced Wednesday night, for a total of eight countrywide. The virus is believed to have sickened as many as 2,955 people across the country, though hospital records suggest the outbreak may have peaked here last week.
Full article on USA today.
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