Children join list of swine flu victims as North East woman recovers

May 5 2009 by Chris Robinson, The Journal

The World Health Organisation was also keeping the pressure up yesterday, with its spokesman Dick Thompson warning that it may raise its pandemic level from five to its highest alert, level six.

A leading US health expert, Dr Richard Besser of the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, added his view that it was too early to say the threat of a swine flu pandemic has levelled off.

He spoke out after Mexican officials lowered the flu alert level in their capital city and announced that they will allow cafes, museums and libraries to reopen tomorrow.

They officials said the epidemic was waning and that tomorrow will conclude a five-day closure of non-essential businesses that was called to stop the spread of the new virus.

Health officials need to finish inspecting schools before students can return to class. Mexico’s government also sharply criticised China for quarantining 70 Mexican tourists and a spokesman said it plans to charter a plane to bring its citizens home from China.

There have been 26 deaths confirmed as being due to H1N1 in Mexico and one confirmed in US, a toddler from Mexico who died in Texas.

Spain’s Health Ministry said 54 cases have now been confirmed in the hardest-hit nation in Europe. Portugal confirmed its first case yesterday, a 30-year-old woman who recently returned from a holiday in Mexico.

France confirmed two new cases in people who had been to Mexico, taking its total to four.

The Department of Health’s swine flu information line is on 0800 151-3513.