| Written by Michael Forbes | |
| Saturday, 25 April 2009 |
Health officials in Jalisco say they have identified 18 people in the state with flu-like symptoms who may be infected with the swine flu virus.
All but one are isolated in their homes, where they are receiving medical attention, officials said at a press conference Saturday.
Only one person, a 47-year-old male from the neighboring state of Nayarit, is being treated in a private hospital.
Doctors are awaiting the results of tests to see if any of the 18 are infected with the swine flu strain.
Since Friday, state health department staff have been monitoring passengers arriving at the Guadalajara bus stations and airport, as well the Puerto Vallarta airport. Nearly all workers at the local bus station and airport are now wearing face masks, since the virus can most likely be transmitted via coughing.
Speaking at a press conference in Mexico City on Saturday, Mexican Health Secretary Jose Angel Cordova said the outbreak "still hasn't spread across the entire country" and that reports of flu cases from some states have proven to be erroneous.
Cordova said the cases are restricted to Mexico City, and the states of Estado de Mexico, San Luis Potosi, Baja California and Oaxaca.
More than 1,300 people are suspected of having the swine flu in Mexico, 80 of whom have died. Only 20 deaths, however, have been confirmed as being from swine flu.
Cordova said the first swine flu case in Mexico was identified in Oaxaca on April 13. But despite all the information at their disposal, as late as April 21 health authorities had not issued a public alert over the outbreak. At first, the health secretary explained, deaths in San Luis Potosi and Mexicali were put down to a prolongation of seasonal winter flu. In a press conference on April 17, the federal agency informed the media of "unusual behavior" of seasonal flu, with a three-fold increase over cases compared to this time last year.
hat-tip AndyM
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