SUMMARY
1-flu is spreading, WHO calls the world provide pandemic
April 28, 2009 16:10
influenza virus spreads to more countries
* WHO says countries must prepare for a pandemic
* Cases in the U.S. up to 65
Mexico * Capital closes restaurants and bars
(Updates with quotes and data, change wording)
By Anahi Rama and Miguel Angel Gutierrez
MEXICO CITY, April 28 (Reuters) - An outbreak of a rare type of swine flu, which have left at least 149 people in Mexico, on Tuesday spread to more countries and led to the World Health Organization (WHO) to ask the world to prepare for a pandemic.
In the U.S., the number of infected cases rose to 65 and President Barack Obama has asked Congress for an additional $ 1.500 million in the budget to fight the epidemic.
stopped working in Mexico thousands of restaurants, bars, churches and even gyms.
Authorities in the Mexican capital, which concentrates the majority of cases, warned on Tuesday that the population must live with the virus long after the WHO raised to 4 from 3 the level of pandemic alert.
"Countries should seize the opportunity to prepare for a pandemic," said Keiji Fukuda, deputy director general of WHO, told reporters.
This reflects a sharp increase in the risk of global contagion, then they were confirmed cases in Canada, United Kingdom, Israel, New Zealand and Spain.
In places as distant as Australia, France and Scotland, and others closer as Guatemala, Chile, Costa Rica, Colombia, Peru and Brazil are studying possible cases.
The epidemic began to hit the tourism and airlines since the United States, Canada and the European Union called for travel to Mexico to avoid non-essential and Cuba suspended direct flights.
The famous resort of Cancun in the Mexican Caribbean cruise was not receiving, suffered cancellations of reservations for vacationers and conference specialists were suspended.
The new strain of influenza, a mixture of several viruses of swine, poultry and humans, poses the greatest risk of a pandemic from avian influenza emerged in 1997. CLOSURE AND masks
In Mexico City, whose urban area is home to nearly 20 million people, shopping, staying with their doors open, they were practically empty and Congress closed session.
"We have to remember to prepare for the coming weeks (...), must think we're going to have to coexist with this virus over a long period of time," said City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard, in a Wheel press.
people circulating around town mostly they did it with masks, following the instructions of the authorities who sought to protect themselves and avoid crowds. The school classes are suspended until May 5.
But many Mexicans went to the supermarkets to stock up panic buying amid fears that supplies could become scarce or close more stores, which the entrepreneurs have been ruled out for now.
There is no vaccine against this new strain and create a could take six months, but the virus is treatable with antiviral drugs, according to Mexican authorities.
However, in the case of Maurice Valentine, who died at age 24, allegedly by the virus, doctors took four prescribe antivirals days despite having fever, cough and vomiting, said his brother Thrister Martínez.
"The doctors told him the first two times he had nothing, only a throat infection," he lamented.
It is unclear why so many cases in Mexico have been killed and the U.S. were minor.
Governments around the world took action and recommended that their citizens to strengthen their hygiene to avoid spreading the virus. Some countries even established special inspections at their airports.
The last influenza pandemic occurred in 1968 with the "Hong Kong flu, which killed nearly one million people worldwide. CAUTION IN OFFICES
The closure of the capital to prevent flu from spreading includes some popular taquerias, which sell the more traditional Mexican dishes.
"This is very bad, and came crashing down. The delegation we closed, we ordered in the afternoon close at all between now and May 6. It is a great loss and I live what I earn every day," said Enrique Cruz , selling tacos from 19 years in a series of posts in a corner of the city central.
Some companies empower their employees to stay at home working remotely.
"We are working normally, just do not go to the office," Soledad said Izquierdo, director of corporate communications at Coca Cola in Mexico.
The coffee chain Starbucks said Monday it will close 10 stores in Mexico City after one of its employees began to be treated for symptoms of influenza.
weekend, millions of inhabitants of Mexico City are confined to their homes amid the closing of parks, museums, bars, stadiums and even churches in the second largest Catholic country after Brazil. But not everyone takes
sad accounts.
A coffee shop in the neighborhood Narvarte, which allowed authorities to have open spaces well ventilated and tables outside the premises, had many customers.
"Us this emergency has been agreed because they have new customers, businesses around here are closed, "said Antonio Garay, employee cafeteria.
NOBLECAUSA IN COLLABORATION FOUNDATION
NOBLE CAUSE FOUNDATION
(Written by Rodrigo Martinez, with additional reporting Adriana Barrera, editing by Paul Garibian y Silene Ramírez)
REUTERS RM SR/
COPYRIGHT: © 2000 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content or maintenance releases or similar, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters and the Reuters Sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world
