Backgrounder: Key facts about swine flu

A man wearing a mask walks past a Mexican flag in Mexico City, capital of Mexico, April 24, 2009. The government of Mexico City is launching a massive vaccination campaign throughout the city against swine flu, which has possibly killed dozens nationwide. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    MEXICO CITY, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Mexican President Felipe Calderon on Friday held an emergency meeting at the Presidential Office with ministers, health authorities and experts to discuss measures to deal with the deadly flu outbreak.

    Calderon also decided to inform Mexicans about the nationwide flu outbreak.

A woman wears a mask as she takes subway in Mexico City, capital of Mexico, April 24, 2009. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    The Mexican Institute of Security and Social Services of the State (ISSSTE) said that this outbreak is of a different virus from those already known.

    This virus affects the breathing system and causes fever of more than 38.5 degrees Celsius, with symptoms of cough, headache and stomachache, running at the nose, bones and chest pain, as well as eating difficulties.

Woman wearing masks wait inside a health center in Mexico City, capital of Mexico, April 24, 2009. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    Mexican Health Minister Jose Angel Cordova urged the Mexican people to take precautionary measures, such as avoiding overcrowded places, food sharing, handshaking and kissing, and washing hands frequently.

    One measure the Mexican government has already taken against the flu outbreak is the suspension of all activities at private and public schools, from kindergartens to universities, in Mexico City and the State of Mexico.

A man wearing a mask walks on a street in Mexico City, capital of Mexico, April 24, 2009. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    The suspension could be extended according to the development of the epidemic, which is being monitored on an hourly basis by the health authorities, Cordova said.

    According to Mexican authorities, the epidemic has been reported in Mexico City and the states of Mexico, Hidalgo, Baja California, Chihuahua, San Luis Potosi, Tlaxcala and Veracruz.

People wearing masks wait at a health center in Mexico City, capital of Mexico, April 24, 2009. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    The authorities also confirmed 20 deaths across the country from this flu outbreak.

    According to earlier media reports, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday that there had been 57 suspected deaths in Mexico from the outbreak of what it identified as "swineflu."

    It has been rare for the swine flu to infect people. In the United States there have been only three cases of human deaths from the epidemic, reported in 1976 and 1988 respectively.

A man wears a mask as he takes subway in Mexico City, capital of Mexico, April 24, 2009. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

China on alert to prevent swine flu infection

    BEIJING, April 25 (Xinhua) -- China's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine issued an emergency notice Saturday night requiring people to report flu-like symptoms at the point of entry when coming from the deadly swine flu affected places.

    This is China's latest move in response to the outbreaks of human infection of Swine Influenza A/H1N1 in Mexico and the United States.  Full story

Hong Kong to enhance surveillance at boundary control points for Swine Flu

    HONG KONG, April 25 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong will step up local surveillance systems at boundary control points and the public health laboratory in light of outbreaks of human infection of Swine Influenza A/H1N1 in Mexico and the United States, the Center for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health of Hong Kong announced on Saturday.

    Travelers from the affected places who are found to have Swine Influenza symptoms at Hong Kong's boundary control points will be taken to hospitals for further investigation. Laboratory testing for Swine Influenza will be conducted for patients with influenza-like-illness who had traveled to the affected places within 7 days before onset of symptoms.Full story