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Mexico to review flu restrictions Mexico to begin lifting flu curbs
(30 minutes later)
Mexico may reopen schools and businesses on Wednesday after reporting a fall in swine flu cases, the country's government has said. Restaurants and cafes in Mexico City are to reopen on Wednesday after the country recorded a fall in new cases of the swine flu virus.
The shutdown is credited with stemming the spread of the virus - suspected of claiming 101 lives in Mexico - but has badly affected the country's economy. Libraries, museums and churches are to follow suit a day later but cinemas, theatres and bars are to remain closed, the mayor's office said.
While only one death has been reported outside Mexico, UN health officials warn against international complacency. Government officials are meeting to discuss when schools and businesses across the country can resume work.
The World Health Organization said the real test would come with seasonal flu. UN health officials have warned against international complacency.
"We hope the virus fizzles out, because if it doesn't we are heading for a big outbreak," WHO chief Margaret Chan told the UK's Financial Times. CONFIRMED CASES Mexico: 101 suspected deaths - 26 confirmedUS: One death, 226 confirmed casesNew Zealand: 6 confirmed casesCanada: 101 confirmed casesSpain: 54 confirmed casesUK: 27 confirmed casesGermany: 8 confirmed casesIsrael: 3 confirmed casesFrance: 4 confirmed cases Italy: 4 confirmed cases El Salvador: 2 confirmed cases Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria, Denmark, Hong Kong, South Korea, Irish Republic, Costa Rica, Colombia, Portugal: 1 confirmed case
Countries with confirmed cases of secondary transmission: Mexico, US, Canada, Spain, Germany, UK class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/8021547.stm">Mapping the outbreak class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/8031490.stm">Clashes erupt over Egypt pig cull class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/8031132.stm">Did Mexico over-react to flu?
SYMPTOMS - WHAT TO DO Swine flu symptoms are similar to those produced by ordinary seasonal flu - fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, chills and fatigueIf you have flu symptoms and recently visited affected areas of Mexico, you should seek medical adviceIf you suspect you are infected, you should stay at home and take advice by telephone initially, in order to minimise the risk of infection class="" href="/1/hi/health/8021958.stm">Q&A: Advice about swine flu While only one death has been reported outside Mexico, where the virus is suspected of claiming 101 lives, the World Health Organization said the real test would come with seasonal flu.
She indicated the WHO was likely to raise its flu alert level to the top of its six-point scale - meaning the virus had spread between different regions and a global pandemic was under way. But WHO chief Margaret Chan sought to ease concern that swine flu might develop into a pandemic similar to the Spanish Flu which killed tens of millions at the end of World War I.
But she stressed this did not necessarily mean every country would be affected or that there would be many more deaths. "[There is] no indication that we are facing a situation similar to that in 1918," she told reporters on Monday.
As of Monday, the WHO said 1,003 cases of the virus had been officially reported across 20 countries, with person-to-person transmission confirmed in six countries. A total of 1,003 cases of the virus have been officially reported across 20 countries, she said. Person-to-person transmission has been confirmed in six countries.
UN chief Ban Ki-moon said the WHO did not plan to raise its pandemic alert to the highest level if the outbreak continued in its current pattern.
About 250 recruits and personnel at an army camp in the western Swiss canton of Fribourg were placed under quarantine after two recruits reported having flu symptoms on Sunday night.About 250 recruits and personnel at an army camp in the western Swiss canton of Fribourg were placed under quarantine after two recruits reported having flu symptoms on Sunday night.
Both recruits were sent to hospital for treatment and tests, the Swiss defence ministry said, without specifying if they had recently visited Mexico. To date, the country has confirmed one swine flu case.Both recruits were sent to hospital for treatment and tests, the Swiss defence ministry said, without specifying if they had recently visited Mexico. To date, the country has confirmed one swine flu case.
Reopening 'likely' 'Phase of decline'
Mexican President Felipe Calderon went on national TV on Sunday night to say a nationwide shutdown and an aggressive information campaign appeared to have helped curtail the outbreak in Mexico. Mexico's shutdown is credited with stemming the spread of the virus but it badly affected the country's economy.
CONFIRMED CASES Mexico: 101 suspected deaths - 25 confirmedUS: One death, 226 confirmed casesNew Zealand: 6 confirmed casesCanada: 101 confirmed casesSpain: 54 confirmed casesUK: 18 confirmed casesGermany: 8 confirmed casesIsrael: 3 confirmed casesFrance: 4 confirmed cases Italy: 4 confirmed cases El Salvador: 2 confirmed cases Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria, Denmark, Hong Kong, South Korea, Irish Republic, Costa Rica, Colombia, Portugal: 1 confirmed case
Countries with confirmed cases of secondary transmission: Mexico, US, Canada, Spain, Germany, UK class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/8021547.stm">Mapping the outbreak href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/8031490.stm">Clashes erupt over Egypt pig cull class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/8031132.stm">Did Mexico over-react to flu? 		SYMPTOMS - WHAT TO DO Swine flu symptoms are similar to those produced by ordinary seasonal flu - fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, chills and fatigueIf you have flu symptoms and recently visited affected areas of Mexico, you should seek medical adviceIf you suspect you are infected, you should stay at home and take advice by telephone initially, in order to minimise the risk of infection href="/1/hi/health/8021958.stm">Q&A: Advice about swine flu
President Felipe Calderon went on national TV on Sunday night to say a nationwide shutdown and an aggressive information campaign appeared to have helped curtail the outbreak in Mexico.
"We have succeeded in detaining or at least slowing the spread of the virus precisely because the measures have been the correct ones," he said."We have succeeded in detaining or at least slowing the spread of the virus precisely because the measures have been the correct ones," he said.
Health Minister Jose Angel Cordova said the epidemic had peaked between 23 and 28 April and was "in its phase of decline". Swine flu has been confirmed as the cause of 26 deaths in Mexico and 701 people have been infected, Health Minister Jose Angel Cordova said on Monday.
"It is very likely that restaurants and other points of economic activity will re-open on Wednesday," he told reporters. Earlier, he had said the epidemic was "in its phase of decline", having peaked between 23 and 28 April and .
But the re-opening would "not happen just like that", Mr Cordova warned. Talking about the possible reopening of schools, he warned it would "not happen just like that". "There will have to be training, preparations for teachers and parents," he told reporters.
"There will have to be training, preparations for teachers and parents," he said.
President Calderon also denounced "discriminatory measures" against Mexicans by some countries "because of ignorance and misinformation".
Mexico has criticised China for placing in quarantine up to 70 Mexicans, even though they showed no sign of having contracted swine flu.Mexico has criticised China for placing in quarantine up to 70 Mexicans, even though they showed no sign of having contracted swine flu.
Mexico said it was sending a plane to Beijing to pick up the Mexicans. It said it was sending a plane to Beijing to pick up the Mexicans as China denied it was being discriminatory.
China denied it was being discriminatory. "This is purely a question of health inspection and quarantine," the foreign ministry said.
'Not over yet''Not over yet'
In the US, the number of confirmed swine flu cases has risen from 160 to 226, over 30 states. Officials said this was because the results of lab tests were now coming through, rather than because of a new surge in cases.In the US, the number of confirmed swine flu cases has risen from 160 to 226, over 30 states. Officials said this was because the results of lab tests were now coming through, rather than because of a new surge in cases.
But an expert from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the virus was fairly widespread.But an expert from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the virus was fairly widespread.
"Virtually all of the United States probably has this virus circulating now," Dr Anne Schuchat said."Virtually all of the United States probably has this virus circulating now," Dr Anne Schuchat said.
"That doesn't mean that everybody's infected but within the communities, the virus has arrived.""That doesn't mean that everybody's infected but within the communities, the virus has arrived."
She said that although she expected cases to become more severe and to lead to deaths, this in itself would not be unusual as every year 36,000 people died in the US after contracting seasonal flu.She said that although she expected cases to become more severe and to lead to deaths, this in itself would not be unusual as every year 36,000 people died in the US after contracting seasonal flu.
But she warned: "I don't think we're out of the woods yet."But she warned: "I don't think we're out of the woods yet."
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