Swine flu: Mexico City starts to return to normal - México regresa a la normalidad de la influeza porcina (humana)

Swine flu: Mexico City starts to return to normal
Mexico City has partially re-opened for business after the authorities brought the capital to a near-standstill in an effort to halt the spread of the killer swine flu.


By Philip Sherwell in New York
Last Updated: 2:44AM BST 07 May 2009

The familiar traffic jams, street taco vendors and bustling pavements were back in evidence in the city of 20 million people but some emergency measures remained in place.

In restaurants, customers must be seated at least six feet apart under government regulations, with no more than four at a table and waiters in face masks. Cinema-goers had to sit with two empty places on either side of them.

And schools remained closed as a precaution, leaving 33 million students at home or going to work with their parents.

Using new tests, the Mexican authorities have confirmed 42 deaths and 1,112 infections from the new strain of virus, which is now being officially referred to as H1N1 flu. Six have died in the first few days of May, casting doubt on hopes that the outbreak was in abeyance.

The flu crisis waylaid a country already in recession and could knock an additional 0.3 to 0.5 of a percentage point off 2009 gross domestic product, the government has predicted.

"It is not time to declare victory and say it is over," President Felipe Calderón said during a tour of a clinic in the western state of Michoacan. "We cannot say that it's under control, that there won't be any more cases."

Meanwhile, more than 170 Mexicans have arrived home to a VIP welcome on a special flight from China - including 70 who had been quarantined there even though they showed no symptoms. Their treatment prompted outrage in Mexico.

Bueno, esperemos que si regresemos a la normalidad, aunque claro... Pronto entraremos a la etapa de la investigación y del destape de la verdad. Se los aseguro.

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