Latest Update: February 24, 2010 - 16:06.
11 June 2009 WHO (World Health Organization) Influenza A(H1N1) - update 47
As of 14:00 GMT, 11 June 2009, 74 countries have officially reported 28,774 cases of influenza A(H1N1) infection, including 144 deaths.
June 11 (Reuters) GENEVA...World Health Organisation Director-General Margaret Chan said on Thursday her agency would work with the World Trade Organisation and others to ensure nations do not impose travel and trade bans over the H1N1 virus.
Her comments came after the WHO raised its pandemic alert to phase 6 to indicate a flu pandemic was under way, a move officials said reflected the geographic spread -- rather than severity -- of the virus.
In doing so, the WHO stuck by recommendations against travel restrictions such as border closures and the restriction of movement of people, goods and services to contain the virus.
16 May CDC...CDC Travel Health Warning for Novel H1N1 Flu in Mexico Removed. This information is current as of today, May 16, 2009 at 00:52 EDT
CDC’s Travel Health Warning recommending against non-essential travel to Mexico, in effect since April 27, 2009, has now been downgraded to a Travel Health Precaution for Mexico.
Current Situation:
CDC has been monitoring the ongoing outbreak of novel H1N1 flu in Mexico and, with the assistance of the Mexican authorities, has obtained a more complete picture of the outbreak. There is evidence that the Mexican outbreak is slowing down in many cities though not all. In addition, the United States and other countries are now seeing increasing numbers of cases not associated with travel to Mexico. Finally, the risk of severe disease from novel H1N1 virus infection now appears to be less than originally thought.
CDC Recommendations:
At this time, CDC has removed its recommendation that U.S. travelers avoid travel to Mexico.
15 May Playa Escondida...Mexico has returned to normal as far as the flu situation is concerned. We have been scouring the news and there are not many newsworthy developments so there are now very few news stories to report to you.
We have had no reported cases of the A(H1N1) virus in our region.
We understand that you may have doubts about coming to anywhere in Mexico, but Playa Escondida is about as safe as anywhere in the world for your vacation. We are a private resort on a private beach far from cities and close to nature.
9 May MEXICO CITY (AP) ...Mexicans will do almost anything to avoid a public hospital emergency room, where ailing patients may languish for hours slumped on cracked linoleum floors that smell of sweat, sickness and pine-scented disinfectant.
Many don't see doctors at all, heading instead to the clerk at the corner pharmacy for advice on coping with a cold or a flu.
So it's no surprise that when a dangerous new swine flu virus began to sweep across Mexico, many waited too long to seek medical help- more than a week on average, according to federal Health Secretary Jose Angel Cordova.
These initial delays complicated treatment, possibly explaining why 48 of the world's 52 confirmed swine flu-linked deaths occurred in Mexico.
A footnote on Safety in Mexico: Border violence has been extensively reported in the U.S. press. Although drug related violence is a fact in Mexico, it is mostly confined to the border with the United States, far from here. The Puerto Vallarta area is outside of the region of drug trafficking and we have had no worrisome incidents here. The airport feels as safe and peaceful as any in the United States and there have never been problems with the airport taxi or bus service.
