| QUOTE |
| Mexico fights swine flu with 'pandemic potential' By MARK STEVENSON, Associated Press Writer Mark Stevenson, Associated Press Writer 43 mins ago MEXICO CITY – A new swine flu strain that has killed as many as 68 people and sickened more than 1,000 across Mexico has "pandemic potential," the World Health Organization chief said Saturday, and it may be too late to contain the sudden outbreak. The disease has already reached Texas and California, and with 24 new suspected cases reported Saturday in Mexico City alone, schools were closed and all public events suspended in the capital until further notice — including more than 500 concerts and other gatherings in the metropolis of 20 million. A hot line fielded 2,366 calls in its first hours from frightened city residents who suspected they might have the disease. Soldiers and health workers handed out masks at subway stops, and hospitals dealt with crowds of people seeking help. The World Health Organization's director-general, Margaret Chan, said the outbreak of the never-before-seen virus is a very serious situation and has "pandemic potential." But she said it is still too early to tell if it would become a worldwide outbreak. (...) Mexican President Felipe Calderon said his government only discovered the nature of the virus late Thursday, with the help of international laboratories. "We are doing everything necessary," he said in a brief statement. (...) Associated Press Writers David Koop and Peter Orsi in Mexico City; Frank Jordans in Geneva; Mike Stobbe in Atlanta; Malcolm Ritter in New York; and Maria Cheng in London contributed to this report. |
| QUOTE |
| U.S. declares public health emergency as swine flu spreads Story Highlights Total number of U.S. swine flu cases is 20 CDC director says additional cases expected in next few days WHO warns countries to look out for "unusual" outbreaks of flu New Zealand quarantines 22 students, 3 teachers with swine flu symptoms (CNN) -- The United States government declared a public health emergency Sunday as the number of identified cases of swine flu in the nation rose to 20. The declaration is part of a "standard operating procedure" that will make available additional government resources to combat the virus, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said at the White House. Additional cases of swine flu are expected to be reported in the coming days, added Dr. Richard Besser, acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. No one has died in the U.S. from swine flu, officials said Sunday. In New York City, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said eight students at St. Francis Prepatory School in Queens have tested positive for swine flu. More than 100 students at the school were absent with flu-like symptoms last week, he said. State public health officials in Ohio confirmed one case of swine flu on Sunday. There have been seven confirmed cases in California, two in Kansas, and two in Texas, Besser said. The World Health Organization advised all countries to be on the lookout for "unusual" outbreaks of flu, after an emergency meeting Saturday as the seriousness of the outbreak became clear. By Sunday, 81 deaths in Mexico had been deemed "likely linked" to swine flu. Viral testing has confirmed 20 cases, said Dr. Jose A. Cordova Villalobos, Mexico's health secretary. In Mexico City, the massive downtown Cathedral of Mexico City was open but Masses were not scheduled. Dozens of worshippers put on masks and went inside the church anyway to pray on their own. Canada confirmed its first cases of swine flu on Sunday, with four people said to have the virus in the eastern province of Nova Scotia, health officials said. Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia's chief public health officer, said the cases were among students who had recently traveled to Mexico. Strang said the people affected were only "mildly ill," and all are recovering. He said people who had recently been traveling should call their doctor and stay home if they suffer flu-like symptoms. The H1N1 strain of swine flu is usually associated with pigs. When the flu spreads person-to-person, instead of from animals to humans, it can continue to mutate, making it a tougher strain that is harder to treat or fight off. Symptoms of swine flu include fever, lethargy, lack of appetite, coughing, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, according to the CDC. Learn more about swine flu and how to treat it » President Obama recently returned from a trip to Mexico, but has not shown any signs of flu-like symptoms, the White House said. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said the outbreak "is of great concern to the White House," and Obama is receiving regular briefings on the issue. "I would tell people it's certainly not a time to panic," Gibbs told reporters. "If you're sick, stay home, get treatment, go see a doctor." But he added, "The government is taking all the steps it needs to and must do to take the precautions to deal with whatever size and scope we may be facing." In New Zealand, officials said 22 students and three teachers back from a three-week-long language trip to Mexico may have been infected with the swine flu virus. The 25 students and teachers at Auckland's Rangitoto College returned to New Zealand via Los Angeles on Saturday. Fourteen have shown flu-like symptoms, with four "more unwell than others," said Dr. Julia Peters, clinical director of Auckland Regional Public Health Service. It is not clear whether anyone else who was on the plane with them has shown signs of the disease. Health Minister Tony Ryall said 10 students tested positive for influenza A. The specimens will be sent to WHO to determine whether it is H1N1 swine influenza. H1N1 influenza is a subset of influenza A. The WHO results are expected back by midweek. The group remains quarantined at home. "It certainly has not been confirmed that they have swine flu," said Dr. Craig Thornley of Auckland Regional Public Health Service. "We already have provisional information that some of the group have influenza A. We won't know if they have the type of influenza A that is swine flu." A British Airways crew member developed flu-like symptoms during a flight from Mexico City to London and was tested for swine flu, but the results came back negative. Watch CBC report on Canadian microbiologists' concerns » "I can confirm that the patient doesn't have swine flu," said Jonathan Street, a spokesman for Northwick Park Hospital in north London. "We have done all tests, and they all came back negative." The flight attendant is back at work, British Airways told CNN. Britain is not putting travel restrictions in place, according to British Airways and Heathrow airport operator BAA, and the country's Port Health Authority has no reason for concern over swine flu, BAA said. The Mexico Tourist Board said Saturday there are no restrictions on travel to the country. Watch efforts in Mexico to prevent spread of the virus » In Israel, doctors are running tests on a man who recently returned from Mexico with light flu symptoms. U.S. health officials said Friday that some cases of the virus in the United States matched samples of the deadly Mexican virus. All the patients have recovered or are expected to. The panic over the virus prompted Canada to issue a travel health notice, saying the public health agency was "tracking clusters of severe respiratory illness with deaths in Mexico." South Korea said it will test airline passengers arriving from the United States. Japan will convene a Cabinet meeting Monday to develop measures to block entry of the virus into the country. The United States has not issued any travel warnings or quarantines. But US Airways said Saturday it would allow passengers to change plans if they wanted to because of the outbreak. Airline spokeswoman Michelle Mohr said it was not asking people not to travel to Mexico, but wanted to "give them that flexibility" if "they don't feel comfortable." Gregory Hartl of the World Health Organization said the strain of the virus seen in Mexico is worrisome because it has mutated from older strains. "Any time that there is a virus which changes ... it means perhaps the immunities the human body has built up to deal with influenza might not be adjusted well enough to deal with this new virus," Hartl said. Mexico City has closed all of its schools and universities until further notice because of the virus. CNN's Saeed Ahmed, Raja Razek, Phillip Warrington, Paul Vercammen and Ted Rowlands contributed to this report. |
| QUOTE |
| Confirmed swine flu cases leap Story Highlights NEW: Mexican health official says country has total of 312 cases NEW: Delaware, Colorado, Georgia, Nebraska, Virginia health officials confirm cases CDC chief: People with flu-like symptoms should not get on airplanes 109 cases reported in 11 U.S. states, CDC reports GENEVA, Switzerland (CNN) -- Confirmed cases of swine flu worldwideincreased to 257 on Thursday, up significantly from the previous day's total of 147, the World Health Organization reported. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it confirmed 109 cases of swine flu, or 2009 H1N1, in 11 states, an increase of 18 from its previous total. The death toll climbed again Thursday, with Mexican officials announcing the number of confirmed deaths increased to 12. There has been one death in the United States attributed to swine flu. Officials in Mexico said they suspect more than 150 deaths there were caused by swine flu and are continuing to investigate. The biggest increase in confirmed infections occurred in Mexico, which has 97, WHO said. There were 26 confirmed cases Wednesday. Mexican officials announced an even higher total, with Health Minister Jose Angel Cordova Villalobos saying they confirmed 312 cases. That number, announced late Thursday night, was up 52 from the number of cases Mexico confirmed earlier in the day. The higher totals do not necessarily mean that incidence of the disease is increasing, but rather that health investigators are getting through their backlog of specimens, said Dr. Keiji Fukuda, assistant director-general of WHO. The latest tally was announced one day after WHO raised the pandemic threat level to 5 on a six-step scale. WHO did not change the threat level Thursday. "There is nothing epidemiologically that points to us today that we should be moving toward Phase 6," Fukuda said. Watch Dr. Sanjay Gupta demystify pandemics » The level 5 designation means infection from the outbreak that originated in Mexico has been jumping from person to person with relative ease. "It really is all of humanity that is under threat during a pandemic," said Dr. Margaret Chan, the WHO's director-general. "We do not have all the answers right now, but we will get them." View images of responses in U.S. and worldwide » In addition to Mexico and the United States, WHO has confirmed non-lethal cases in Austria (1), Canada (19), Germany (3), Israel (2), Netherlands (1), New Zealand (3), Spain (13), Switzerland (1) and the United Kingdom (8). An additional 230 cases are being investigated in the United Kingdom, and Spain has 84 suspected cases.See where cases have been confirmed » On Thursday, Japan reported its first suspected case, which has not been verified by WHO. In the United States, New York has the most confirmed cases, with 50, followed by Texas, with 26. California has 14 cases. In Washington state, a pediatrician who saw 22 patients and their parents Monday is among 13 people that public health authorities say have "probable" cases of swine flu. The pediatrician, who works at the Everett Clinic near Seattle, Washington, and who was not identified out of privacy concerns, may have exposed some of her patients to her illness, authorities said. The CDC on Thursday added an 11th state, South Carolina, with 10 cases. "There are many more states that have suspect cases, and we will be getting additional results over time," said Dr. Richard Besser, acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia. The state health departments in Delaware, Colorado, Georgia, Nebraska and Virginia on Thursday said they had confirmed swine flu cases: four in Delaware, one in Georgia and two each in Colorado, Nebraska and Virginia. California state officials said they had two new confirmed cases Thursday and Florida's health department said it sent three samples it can't identify to the CDC. Their counts have not been added to the national total. By Monday, Besser said, all states will have additional antiviral drugs from the Strategic National Stockpile that can be given to people at high risk for flu. There hasn't been a decision on whether to attempt making a vaccine specifically for H1N1, he said. Swine flu is a contagious respiratory disease that affects pigs and can jump to humans. Symptoms include fever, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Learn about swine flu » But the 2009 H1N1 virus is a hybrid of swine, avian and human strains, and no vaccine has been developed for it. The U.S. government has stockpiled 50 million courses of antiviral medication to treat swine flu, Department of Homeland Security Director Janet Napolitano said Thursday. The states have another 23 million and the Department of Defense has millions more, she said. Napolitano said some of those treatments, along with gloves, masks and other medical equipment, were being shipped to affected states on Thursday. "More [will] continue to get distributed every day until we're complete," she said. Nearly 300 U.S. schools with confirmed or possible H1N1 cases were closed Thursday, affecting about 169,000 students, the U.S. Department of Education reported. No colleges or universities were known to be closed, the agency said. Napolitano said parents of children whose schools closed should keep them at home instead of taking them out in public. "The entire purpose is to limit exposure," she said. "If a school is closed, the guidance is and the request is to keep your young ones home." "If you have a fever and flu-like symptoms, you should not be getting on an airplane. That is part of being a responsible part of our community," the CDC's Besser said. "You don't want to put people at risk."Go behind the scenes at the CDC » One death from swine flu was confirmed in the United States this week. A toddler from Mexico died at a Houston, Texas, hospital Monday. In Mexico, where the first cases were detected, all schools have been closed. The Mexican government will close all nonessential government offices and businesses starting Friday. Watch how Mexican authorities are dealing with the outbreak » Mexican President Felipe Calderon took to television late Wednesday night, saying the country has enough medicine to cure the sick. "In times of difficulty, we've always come together," he said. "Together we will overcome this disease." Ecuador joined Cuba and Argentina in banning travel to or from Mexico. Egypt began slaughtering all pigs Thursday, although no cases of swine flu have been reported in that country. |
| QUOTE |
| Agence France-Presse - 5/1/2009 11:17 PM GMT Swine flu spreads to Asia as Hong Kong reports case The first confirmed case of swine flu in Asia was recorded in Hong Kong Friday after a Mexican man who arrived via Shanghai tested positive, Chief Executive Donald Tsang announced. More than 300 guests and staff at the hotel where the patient had briefly stayed were placed under quarantine for seven days as officials announced "draconian" measures in a bid to contain the A(H1N1) flu virus. "We have our first confirmed swine flu case in Hong Kong. He is Mexican," Tsang told reporters. The 25-year-old Mexican arrived in Hong Kong on Thursday from Mexico via Shanghai on China Eastern Airlines flight MU 505, Tsang said. China on Saturday announced it had suspended flights from Mexico to Shanghai following confirmation of the case and said their resumption would depend "on the situation of the pandemic control," the Xinhua news agency said. It said China had informed the Mexican government and airlines, and was considering sending a charter plane to Mexico to collect "Chinese passengers who had planned to fly to Shanghai from the city of Mexico on May 3." The Mexican man was admitted to hospital in Hong Kong on Thursday night suffering from a fever and tested positive on Friday for the flu virus. He was in a stable condition, Tsang said. The Metropark Hotel in Wanchai district where he had been staying had been isolated, he said. "I will raise the alert level from serious to emergency," the chief executive said. Despite putting Hong Kong on its highest level of alert, Tsang said all social activities and exhibitions would go ahead as normal and schools would remain open in the city, which is still scarred by memories of the SARS epidemic in 2003 in which close to 300 died. "I stress we don't need to panic," he said. Police wearing face masks cordoned off the Metropark Hotel and a group of blue-gowned and masked health workers was seen entering the hotel in the bustling bar and nightclub district on Hong Kong island. Health Secretary York Chow said guests and staff at the hotel would be quarantined for seven days. "We have also exercised the authority... so that we will first isolate the hotel and also... ensure the relevant people are quarantined for seven days," Chow told reporters. "Since this is the first case in Hong Kong we must be very careful as the chance of controlling and containing this infection is limited, we will try to be more draconian in our policy," he said. However, he dismissed the idea of an entry bar to Hong Kong for people flying from Mexico. He said around 200 guests and 100 staff would be affected by the quarantine order at the hotel, issued under the control and prevention of disease ordinance. "We will also prescribe Tamiflu for them, which is proven to be an effective prophylactic for this disease." In a statement early Saturday, the government added that 12 guests who refused to remain at the hotel had been moved to the Lady MacLehose Holiday Village, a newly "designated isolation camp" in a country park for a seven-day quarantine. Meanwhile authorities have placed the Mexican man's two travelling companions and his Hong Kong friend in quarantine at Princess Margaret Hospital. They were also trying to find the two taxi drivers who were in contact with the man and the 142 passengers on the flight from Shanghai. "We are also tracing the passengers who were on the same flight as this patient, particularly the three rows in front and three rows behind," Chow said. "We're prepared to have them sent to hospital for inspection and also for quarantine," he said. He appealed for other passengers and cabin crew to come forward for health checks. "With this I hope that we can minimise the spread of this possible virus to our community," the health secretary said. Yuen Kwok-yung, who heads the team of researchers studying the flu at the University of Hong Kong, said there is currently no gold standard for the disease as each country is trying to develop its own tests. Hong Kong, at the forefront of the SARS epidemic in 2003 and already on alert for bird flu, had previously announced a series of tough measures to combat any threat from swine flu. The southern Chinese city has stepped up its protection measures, including the use of temperature screening machines at airports and other entry points. Authorities have said they would detain anyone showing symptoms of the virus after arriving from an infected area. Health officials have advised against all non-essential travel to worst-hit Mexico. |
| QUOTE |
| OTTAWA - The federal government expanded its swine-flu prevention campaign to Facebook, Twitter and YouTube as the number of confirmed cases continued to climb Friday. Officials announced a new "citizen-readiness campaign" as the number of confirmed Canadian cases of the flu strain known as H1N1 jumped to 51 Friday with new cases in B.C., Nova Scotia, Ontario, Alberta and New Brunswick. To date there are 15 confirmed cases in B.C., 14 in Nova Scotia, 12 in Ontario, eight in Alberta, one in Quebec and one in New Brunswick. But in the midst of that Canadian officials were sounding hopeful. The country's chief public health officer said there were several reasons for optimism - namely the upcoming summer, and the extremely mild nature of the cases in Canada. He cautioned that the virus could mutate into a more severe form, as it did in the 1918 pandemic, but that every patient in Canada is making a full recovery so far. "What gives me short-term optimism is that we are at the end of what would normally be flu season," said David Butler-Jones, the chief public health officer... |