-
This colourised image depicts the A H1N1 swine flu virus from a previous outbreak in 1976 - Source: Reuters -
Related
Mexico said a new flu virus has killed up to 149 people and it
ordered all schools to close across the country on Tuesday as the
disease spread in the United States, Canada and Europe, raising
fears of a pandemic.
The flu virus spreads quickly between humans and although it has so
far only killed people in Mexico, governments across the world took
measures to try to reduce its impact.
The World Health Organization said its emergency committee could
decide to raise its pandemic alert level, currently at three on a
scale of one to six, to phase four or five. The move would show the
WHO believes that large outbreaks are possible.
US health officials said they now had 40 confirmed cases of the
flu, including 20 new at a New York City school.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called for caution over
travel to Mexico and the European Union also urged citizens to
avoid non-essential travel to areas affected by swine flu.
Mexico relies heavily on tourism, its third biggest source of
foreign currency, and millions of Americans travel to Mexico every
year.
Mexican Health Minister Jose Angel Cordova said the outbreak is now
suspected to have killed 149 people and the number of cases would
continue to rise. Schools in the sprawling capital had already been
closed but he ordered classes canceled cross Mexico until May
6.
Oil prices fell more than 4% to below $50 a barrel as investors
feared a new blow to an already fragile global economy if trade
flows are curbed and manufacturing is hit.
The MSCI world equity index fell 1%, and US stocks were down in
choppy trading.
The virus is widely being called swine flu although it has
components of classic avian, human and swine flu viruses and has
not actually been seen in pigs.
Spain became the first country in Europe to confirm a case of swine
flu when a man who returned from a trip to Mexico last week was
found to have the virus.
But his condition, like that of 40 cases in the United States and
six in Canada, was not serious. A New Zealand teacher and around a
dozen students who recently returned from Mexico were also being
treated as likely mild swine flu cases.
In the first confirmed cases in Britain, Scotland's health minister
said two people tested positive for swine flu and were being
treated under isolation in a hospital near Glasgow.
Suspected cases were also reported in France, Italy and
Israel.
US President Barack Obama said officials were closely monitoring
cases of swine flu but he also tried to ease fears.
"This is obviously a cause for concern and requires a heightened
state of alert. But it is not a cause for alarm," Obama told a
meeting of the National Academy of Sciences.
Many countries have stepped up surveillance at airports and ports,
using thermal cameras and sensors to identify people with fever,
and the World Health Organization has opened its 24-hour "war room"
command centre.
Health emergency
Although most cases outside Mexico were relatively mild, a top
official at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said she
feared there might be US fatalities.
In financial markets, travel and leisure stocks such as Hong Kong's
Cathay Pacific Airways and British Airways nevertheless fell
sharply, whereas makers of drugs and vaccines, such as Roche, were
higher.
"The threat of the pandemic will add further weakness to global
trade," said Justin Urquhart Stewart, investment director at Seven
Investment Management in London. "We saw with SARS tangible
percentage points knocked off the index, and that was in a buoyant
time. Put that in a weaker time and it is likely to be more
unpleasant."
An outbreak of the SARS respiratory virus in 2003 was largely
limited to Southeast Asia and cost the region's economy around 0.6%
of GDP.
The World Bank said last year that a global flu pandemic could cost
$3 trillion and cut world GDP by 5%.
Mexico's peso fell more than 3% on Tuesday and its stock market
fell 4.1% on concerns that the virus fears would send the economy
further into recession.
In Mexico City, authorities have already shut schools, churches,
stadiums, cinemas, theaters, bars and clubs, but most people went
to work on Monday, buses and subway trains packed with commuters
wearing surgical face masks.
Mexico is already struggling with a vicious drug war and an
economic recession, and the mood was darkened further on Monday
when the capital was rocked by a 6.0-magnitude earthquake, although
there were no immediate reports of deaths or damage.
Many in Mexico City spent the weekend hunkered at home or wore blue
surgical masks handed out by truckloads of soldiers to venture out
onto strangely hushed streets. The city government considered
halting public transport.
Health authorities across Asia tried to give reassurance, saying
they had enough stockpiles of anti-flu drugs to handle an
outbreak.
Guan Yi, a virology professor at the University of Hong Kong who
helped to fight SARS and bird flu, said a pandemic looked
inevitable. "I think the spread of this virus in humans cannot
possibly be contained within a short time ... We are counting down
to a pandemic."
TVNZ is all over the swine flu story. Keep up to date with the latest news no matter where you are with our dedicated swine flu Twitter feed. - http://twitter.com/SwineFluInNZ PLUS Health correspondent Lorelei Mason will be keeping you in the loop on how she is covering the story as it develops - http://twitter.com/SwineFluNZNews
Got an opinion on this new health concern? Share your thoughts on the message board below.
Add a Comment:
Post new commentalwyn said on 2009-06-18 @ 14:34 NZDT: Report abusive post
The general flu causes between 200,000 and 250,000 deaths p.a world wide. Swine flu has caused only a fraction of this number in proportion. There is a temporary cure i.e. Tami flu until a vaccine is produced for H1N1 flu. I don't understand what all the fuss is about?
Janey said on 2009-06-16 @ 09:36 NZDT: Report abusive post
I think NZ media and health service has been far too blase about this outbreak. The UK's BBC news website has been reporting symptoms and PREVENTION for weeks and has an excellent outbreak map, which clearly shows quick acceleration of the virus. The UK's health service posted information leaflets to every home WEEKS ago. My husband works in a a business where the workers come into contact with lots tourists - they only just received a booklet on the virus 2 days ago. NZ, get with the programme!
skeptic said on 2009-06-16 @ 07:57 NZDT: Report abusive post
Thank you Mark Sainsbury for telling us the symptoms, and debunking the mythology. Many of us did not even know that we probably have the swine flu which is probably now widespread in our community. It was clear from the outset that authorities were not taking the drastic steps necessary to contain an epidemic. Since they have created an elaborate ritual to prove that they have done everything possible ... Thank God this was not a SERIOUS pandemic.
FightFlu said on 2009-05-04 @ 23:41 NZDT: Report abusive post
I absolutely agree Tis, this particular virus could have been a lot worse. Due to information technology these days we have highly accessible and up to date information to keep us informed, and with knowledge is power. As long as the people remain calm, and keep informed we should be able to keep the Swine Flu at a safe distance.
Tis said on 2009-05-02 @ 11:33 NZDT: Report abusive post
This scare could perhaps prepare us well for a more severe future pandemic - e.g. Ok, so all the focus is on Tamiflu - but what about ensuring enough antibiotics to treat secondary infections from a new influenca - and do we have enough of those machines in hospitals to help people breath when they are in acute respiratory distress - lets hope so!