Mexico

Mexico City to compensate workers impacted by flu outbreak

Mexico City to compensate workers impacted by flu outbreakMexico City - Mexico City said Wednesday that it would compensate workers impacted by restrictions imposed to combat the outbreak of swine flu.

Those hospitalized would also be compensated, government officials said.

At least 159 people have died and 2,498 sickened in Mexico's flu outbreak - these include seven swine flu deaths and 49 confirmed infections from the new virus. Of these, 1,311 people remain in hospital, but most have not yet been identified as cases of swine flu.

Mexico increases confirmed swine flu count to 49

Mexico increases confirmed swine flu count to 49Mexico City/Geneva - The number of confirmed swine flu infections in Mexico rose from 26 to 49, with seven deaths as a result of the new strain, according to laboratory results made public Wednesday by health authorities.

There have been 159 deaths and 2,498 infections in Mexico's flu outbreak. Of these, 1,311 people remain in hospital and most have not yet been identified as swine flu cases.

World Health Organization (WHO) Director General Margaret Chan raised the pandemic alert for swine flu by one level to phase 5 Wednesday night in Geneva.

Mexico expects greater drop in GDP, made worse by flu

Mexico expects greater drop in GDP, made worse by flu Mexico City - Mexico's central bank said Wednesday that it expects GDP to contract by 3.8 to 4.8 per cent in 2009, a considerably more pessimistic impact than its previous forecasts that could get worse in the light of the current flu outbreak.

The Bank of Mexico had estimated earlier this year that GDP would fall by 0.8 to 1.8 per cent.

Beyond the severe global financial and economic crisis, the bank said the flu epidemic is an "additional" risk factor that could affect "all levels of productive activity" in the second quarter of the year.

Indian Drug Makers To Be Told To Stock Swine Flu Drugs

Indian Drug Makers To Be Told To Stock Swine Flu Drugs To increase its attentiveness and block up swine influenza virus’ entry into India, the government has began taking desperate steps to battle and contain it.

The administration on Tuesday announced that it would ask drug makers comprising Cipla, Ranbaxy, Natco and Hyderabad-based Hetero Drugs to start storing the chemicals needed to create the drug to fight deadly influenza.

Moreover, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) would also issue additional passes to health workers in order to check people with flu symptoms at nine airports.

Mexico corrects number of swine flu deaths to seven

Mexico corrects number of swine flu deaths to seven Mexico City - Mexican authorities corrected the number of people killed by swine flu from previously 20 to seven.

Miguel Angel Lezana, director of the national epidemiological and disease control centre, said late Tuesday the mutated H1N1 swine flu virus was confirmed to be responsible for seven deaths. The other 13 cases could not be confirmed yet.

Mexican authorities previously put the swine flu death toll at 20. Lezana said additional testing was conducted on recommendation of the the Geneva-based World Health Organization.

Swine flu death rate slows, Mexican minister says

Asian Development Bank to help Pacific region weather crisisMexico City  - Mexican Health Minister Jose Angel Cordova Villalobos said late Monday that number of people dying from an infection with a mutated swine flu virus rose slower than expected.

Six people died on Saturday, five on Sunday and three on Monday, Cordova said. The number of new infections was also slowing down, from 145 registered new cases to 110 in the past 24 hours.

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