Serious Swine Flu Alert in Mexico and the US

Swine influenza, which has already killed at least 20 people in Mexico, moving towards the north of the continent and concerned American medical experts. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are about 800 suspected cases in Mexico, including 60 deaths. Health authorities worldwide have triggered the alert, Friday 24 April, after the reporting of several hundred human cases of swine influenza in Mexico - which has launched a "massive campaign" vaccination facing a sixty suspicious deaths - and nearly a dozen cases in the United States.

In Mexico, 20 deaths were officially attributed to the virus of swine influenza and other quarantine of suspicious deaths are being reviewed, like those of 943 patients who could be contagious, announced Minister of Health. WHO reported on Friday, 57 suspicious deaths and confirmed that at least 18 of them have been caused by the flu in recent weeks. The authorities in Mexico have announced a campaign of vaccination and advised the people of the capital to avoid the subway and not kiss or shake hands in greeting. All schools and public and private universities have been closed in the capital and in the State of Mexico (Center). The airport of the capital remains open, but medical teams are in place to handle passengers.

Mexican President Felipe Calderon, and the mayor of Mexico City, Marcelo Ebrard, have suspended their activities to devote himself to the consideration of the emergency situation with the health authorities. In Mexico, the first signs of the epidemic were detected in late March, peaking in April. Patients are usually young adults not suffering from any known diseases previously, "said a spokeswoman for WHO. The organization (WHO), fears that a new strain of swine influenza leads to a pandemic.

Pigs can serve as a "melting pot" to give birth to a new highly virulent strain for humans.

8 Cases in the USA

In the United States, the White House said take the warning seriously and President Barack Obama was informed of the situation, according to a spokesman. "We have set up emergency operations centers," said the spokesman for the U.S. Centers for control and disease prevention (CDC). The concerns are even more serious that this novel virus is transmitted from man to man and consists of several strains: "This is the first time we see an avian strain, two strains of pigs and a human strain," a explained the spokesperson. Friday, U.S. health authorities have diagnosed a new human case of swine flu on a child living in California (West). "Yesterday, we reported on a total of seven cases in the United States," said Dr. Richard Bresser, CDC, during a telephone press conference. "Today we have an additional case in California, bringing the total to eight for the United States," he said.


Laboratories in Canada and the U.S. confirmed that it was "a new influenza virus," said the Ministry of Health of Mexico. The concern of medical experts is justified by the fact that pigs can serve as a "melting pot" to give birth to a new highly virulent strain for humans by combining genetic material of swine influenza and avian influenza. "There is a risk, even small appearances of the virus pandemic potential," notes the Center for prevention and control of diseases on its website.