World health officials scrambling over swine flu

While Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has declared a health emergency in the United States, officials in Mexico, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Spain and France have also rung the tocsin to alert citizens of the danger posed by infection by swine flu. New Zealander students returning from California showed flu-like symptoms and have tested positive for Type A influenza. Specimens from the stricken students have been sent to the World Health Organization to determine whether they are afflicted with H1N1 swine influenza. H1N1 influenza is a subset of influenza A.

In Israel, doctors are running tests on a man who recently returned from Mexico with light flu symptoms. While the UK had a scare when a air-crew member who had flown from Mexico to London showed flu symptoms, it turned out he did not have swine flu. Canada has issued a travel advisory to its citizens who are considering a trip to Mexico.

In the Queens borough of New York City, a student performance at the St. Francis Catholic Preparatory school was cancelled on April 24 when 100 students and others showed flu-like symptoms. Only eight persons have been confirmed to have swine flu. The school is now closed even while Mayor Michael Bloomberg said over the weekend that there were no plans for other school closings. In Kansas, health authorities indicate its two cases arose from individuals who recently visited Mexico.

U.S. health officials have said that some cases of the virus in the United States matched samples of the deadly Mexican virus. All the patients have recovered or are expected to. Symptoms of swine flu include fever, lethargy, lack of appetite, coughing, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, according to the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta GA. President Barack Obama visited Mexico on April 16 en route to the Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago and to date has shown no ill effect. While it is known that the flu does pass from person-to-person, experts have not determined whether is air-borne or not.

The United States is going to us “passive surveillance” such as infrared scanners that detect elevated body temperatures while screening travelers from Mexico. These individuals would be isolated only if they were ill. But other governments issued travel advisories urging people not to visit Mexico, and China, Russia and others set up quarantines for anyone possibly infected. EU authorities cautioned against visits to the United States as America announced 20 infections--a number expected to climb. Hong Kong has set up the most stringent rules but is also perhaps the best prepared jurisdiction in the world. Since with its experience of avian flu and SARS, Hong Kong has expanded the number of beds in hospitals where flu victims can be isolated. Currently, Hong Kong is isolating any travellers showing flu-like symptoms who have come from countries with lab-proven cases of swine flu. In Japan, the Cabinet will meet on April 27 to weigh its options.

In Mexico, where the H1H1 version of the virus apparently first emerged a few weeks ago, government health officials are taking steps to halt contagion. As they do, the number of deaths blamed on the virus continue to rise. So far, at least 81 deaths have been linked to swine flu in Mexico. As of April 26, 81 deaths had been deemed "likely linked" to a deadly new strain of the virus by health authorities in Mexico. Viral testing has confirmed 20 cases, said Dr. José A. Córdova Villalobos, Mexico's health secretary. Currently, some 1,300 cases of persons with flu-like symptoms have been registered in Mexico. In the United States, the number of confirmed swine flu cases stood at 11 in California, Kansas, New York, and Texas.

Mexican officials are asking citizens to avoid large crowds, refrain from kissing and shaking hands and maintain a distance of at least six feet from each other amid growing concern over new cases of suspected and confirmed swine flu infection. Mexicans are thronging to local hospitals and temporary emergency clinics for treatment and testing. Mexico City municipal police have been spotted bearing automatic weapons in the country’s capital as emotions begin to rise in the body public. Many citizens have taken to wearing surgical masks in order to avoid contagion.

Mexico has closed all schools and universities in the capital, a city of 20 million people and one of the most populated cities in the world. Courts have also been adjourned indefinitely in response to the expanding threat of contagion. The Catholic Church has suspended the celebration of Mass in all churches of Mexico City and is encouraging the faithful to pray at home. Cardinal Norberto Rivera Carrera celebrated a closed-door noon Mass on Sunday at the city’s Metropolitan Cathedral for a few dozen people rather than the hundreds that are normally seen on Sunday. This is the first time this has happened in the Church’s history in Mexico.

In just two days, 18 persons died of the flu while in just 24 hours five persons’ deaths were attributed to the swine flu. Gregory Hartl, of the World Health Organization, said the strain of the virus seen in Mexico is a cause of concern because it has mutated from older strains. "Any time that there is a virus which changes ... it means perhaps the immunities the human body has built up to dealing with influenza might not be adjusted well enough to dealing with this new virus," Hartl said. He added that, in Mexico, otherwise young, healthy people have been hit by the virus and is "one of the pieces of the puzzle that is worrying us." World Health Organization officials are watching how Mexico is responding to the threat.

On April 24, Mexican President Felipe Calderón published a decree that noted the measures his government will take with respect to the swine flu. Among the measures to address the “grave” situation for the duration of the crisis, the decree calls for isolating patients who are shown to have the virus, as well as government controls of transportation and the media. Speaking before assembled medical personnel that day, President Calderón said that it is absolutely essential to stop the contagion. The decree allows government agents to enter residences and businesses “for the furtherance of activities towards the control and combating of the epidemic.”

Currently on the WHO metric of epidemics, the situation in Mexico merits a Phase 3. Phase 6 is the highest level of contagion or pandemic, and applies when a virus reaches the level of the Black Death or 1918 Spanish Flu. That has hardly been true for the H1N1 strain--but many are worried. Thus far, the flu has been found mainly in three states of the Mexican union: the Federal District of Mexico City, the State of Mexico, and the nearby State of San Luís Potosí. More than a thousand cases have been reported with the numbers increaszing hourly.

Latin America is nervous. Guatemala has set up a make-shift clinic at its international airport to treat symptoms. Nearby Honduras, El Salvador, and Costa Rica have also taken measures. Nicaragua has halted the importing of food products made from pork. Eating pork has yet to be linked to contracting swine flu.

Spain has placed several persons in isolation in at least three of its provinces, and at least one new traveler from Mexico showed severe flu-like symptoms upon arrival in Madrid. So far, seven suspected cases of swine flu has appeared in Spain. No proof has emerged that these are cases of the H1N1 virus. However, Spanish authorities are not taking any chances and have been on alert since April 23. Spanish Health Minister Trinidad Jiménez said Spain is not yet facing an emergency and urged travelers to the U.S. and Mexico to use their own judgement.

In France, two suspected cases have been detected. According to the French minister of health, given the considerable traffic between France and Mexico, he would not be surprised if the number of those infected entering Gallic territory should grow.” The French health minister has set up a war room in response to fears of a pandemic.