MEXICO CITY — Mexico said a swine flu epidemic appears to be easing, but urged citizens Saturday not to let their guard down against a virus that has killed 17 people and is spreading across Asia and Europe. And experts warned the virus could mutate and come back with a vengeance.
With no suspected swine flu deaths since Wednesday and fewer people turning up at hospitals, Mexican officials were guardedly optimistic that the worst was over in the outbreak’s epicenter. Cases outside Mexico suggested the new swine flu strain is weaker than feared. But governments moved quickly anyway to ban flights.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it’s too early to declare victory. And the World Health Organization’s global alert and response director, Dr. Mike Ryan, said though it decided against a full pandemic alert, it doesn’t mean people can relax.
"These viruses change, these viruses can further reassort with other genetic material, with other viruses,” he said. "So it would be imprudent at this point to take too much reassurance” from the small number of deaths.
by associated press
With no suspected swine flu deaths since Wednesday and fewer people turning up at hospitals, Mexican officials were guardedly optimistic that the worst was over in the outbreak’s epicenter. Cases outside Mexico suggested the new swine flu strain is weaker than feared. But governments moved quickly anyway to ban flights.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it’s too early to declare victory. And the World Health Organization’s global alert and response director, Dr. Mike Ryan, said though it decided against a full pandemic alert, it doesn’t mean people can relax.
"These viruses change, these viruses can further reassort with other genetic material, with other viruses,” he said. "So it would be imprudent at this point to take too much reassurance” from the small number of deaths.
by associated press
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