May 4, 2009. Businesses Remain Closed in Mexico
| SOURCE: | Air Security International |
The Mexican government announced that the nationwide H1N1 flu-related shutdown of businesses and non-essential government services will gradually end the week of 4 May. The shutdown will be lifted in phases, rather than all at once. Restaurants, bars and movie theaters will remain closed until there is evidence that the virus has receded significantly, though businesses and government services will be restored earlier. Mexican health officials have stated that the H1N1 swine flu virus peaked in Mexico between 23 April and 28 April. There have been at least 590 confirmed cases of swine flu in Mexico and at least 22 deaths. President Felipe Calderon sharply criticized other countries for their treatment of Mexican travelers. The Mexican government plans to send an aircraft to China to retrieve the 70 Mexican nationals who have been quarantined by the Chinese government.
On 3 May Colombian authorities officially confirmed the first case of swine flu in the country. It is also the first case confirmed in South America. The patient, who recently returned from a trip to Mexico, was discovered in the community of Zipaquirá, located only 31 mi/50 km from the capital city of Bogotá. There are another 108 suspected cases of swine flu in Colombia, nearly three times the amount last reported by officials on 1 May.
Meanwhile, World Health Organization (WHO) officials have stated that the WHO is likely to increase the pandemic alert to 6, the highest level, which indicates that the virus is capable of sustained human-to-human transmission in at least two WHO-defined regions. However, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon has stated that the WHO does not plan to raise the alert level if the current outbreak continues "as is." The WHO has cautioned the public not to panic if the alert level is raised, as the main purpose of the declaration is to signal to governments to enact their pandemic response plans. The declaration would include a recommendation for pharmaceutical companies to switch their manufacturing efforts from seasonal flu vaccines to a swine flu vaccine. WHO Director-General Margaret Chan has cautioned that while the mortality and infection rate in Mexico has declined, the virus is likely to return "with a vengeance." The number of cases may spike in the coming months when the southern hemisphere enters the winter season. The WHO has discouraged countries from adopting travel restrictions or closing borders, arguing that such measures are ineffective.
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