Swine Flu Spreading in USA, Mexican Border Remains Open

The swine flu outbreak appears to have started in Mexico and is spreading. The Mexican government has shut down all government offices and schools through the Cinco de Mayo holiday weekend, and has asked private businesses throughout the country to remain closed during this time.

The World Health Organization says Mexico has 97 confirmed cases of the virus, up from yesterday's total of 26 laboratory confirmed cases with seven deaths. The government of Mexico today confirmed one more flu-caused fatality, bringing the death toll to eight.

WHO says the following nine countries have reported laboratory confirmed cases with no deaths - Austria (1), Canada (19), Germany (3), Israel (2), Netherlands (1), New Zealand (3), Spain (13), Switzerland (1) and the United Kingdom (8). Cases have cropped up in Netherlands and Switzerland since yesterday, and case numbers have risen by six in Canada and by nine in Spain.

In response to many questions from concerned U.S. residents about keeping swine flu out of the United States, President Barack Obama said at a news conference last night that there is no need to close the U.S. border with Mexico.

Vehicles from Mexico lined up to enter the United States at the San Ysidro border crossing in Tijuana, Mexico. The crossing connects Tijuana to San Diego, California. (Photo by Mitch Blomert)

U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents are responding to guidance from health officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They are monitoring the health of incoming travelers, collaborating with federal and local health officials to assess potential threats, and referring those with symptoms to a CDC quarantine station or a local public health official for evaluation.

The President said he has requested an immediate $1.5 billion in emergency funding from Congress to support the nation's ability to monitor and track this virus and to build the U.S. supply of antiviral drugs and other equipment, and he said, the government is ensuring that those materials get to where they need to be as quickly as possible.

The U.S. government has 50 million treatment courses of the drugs Tamiflu and Relenza in the strategic national stockpile and has released 12,500 of those courses, making them available to all states, but prioritizing the states with confirmed incidents of the flu. All states are scheduled to have their share by May 3. In addition, the Department of Defense has procured and strategically positioned seven million treatment courses of Tamiflu.

A U.S. Border Protection agent interviews a potential immigrant. (Photo courtesy USCBP)

"And finally," said Obama, "I've asked every American to take the same steps you would take to prevent any other flu - keep your hands washed; cover your mouth when you cough; stay home from work if you're sick; and keep your children home from school if they're sick."

Today, on a webcast to answer questions emailed in by members of the public, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, a former governor of the border state of Arizona, reiterated that "there is no utility to closing borders."

Napolitano said, "It's safe to fly within the United States at this time. We are not discouraging travel within the U.S. at this time."

On the same webcast, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, a former Kansas governor who has been in her new job just 24 hours, said school closing decisions would be made locally and advised parents to create a contingency plan they can follow if their school or daycare providers became ill or if they must stay home from work.

While it is good to be prepared, Sebelius said, "it is not necessary to rush out and buy stockpiles of food and water."

The World Health Organization today held its pandemic alert to Phase 5, put in place yesterday, and repeated its call for heightened vigilance.

"The situation continues to evolve," Keiji Fukuda, assistant director-general of the UN body, said during what has become a daily press teleconference from the agency, adding that there was nothing new today that required a move to the highest level of alert, Phase 6.

Women in Mexico City wear protective masks. (Photo courtesy Office of President Calderon)

He said that as of 2:50 pm Geneva time, lab-confirmed cases of the virus rose to 236 worldwide, up from the 148 reported yesterday.

"We see some countries reporting new cases," Fukuda said. "We also see some countries, in which infection has been going on, reporting continued cases in their countries. And then we’re seeing that, in other countries, cases appear to be holding steady, for example, the United States," he added.

Today, Fukuda said that WHO’s preparations have included a distribution of antiviral drugs to developing countries, including Mexico, out of two million doses donated for that purpose by the Roche pharmaceutical company.

The agency is also working with Roche, which is planning to scale up its production of antivirals, on a framework to replenish its stockpile.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization, meanwhile, reiterated that there is no evidence available that the influenza A/H1N1 virus is coming from or circulating in pigs.

"Stepping up swine influenza control measures in pigs, in the absence of the A/H1N1 virus, such as control of movements and culling, is not justified," said FAO Chief Veterinary Officer Joseph Domenech. However, he recommended that pig disease surveillance be reinforced in order to detect, identify and monitor any new event which could be related to this new A/H1N1 virus circulation in humans.

Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2009. All rights reserved.