Friday, April 24, 2009

Mexico City closes museums to stop flu outbreak


AP – Policemen wearing surgical masks monitor the entrance to the General Hospital in Mexico City, Friday, …

By MARK STEVENSON, Associated Press Writer Mark Stevenson, Associated Press Writer – 12 mins ago

MEXICO CITY – Mexico's federal government has closed museums, libraries, and state-run theaters as well as schools in its overcrowded capital to stop a swine flu outbreak authorities say may have killed as many as 60 people.

The government already shut down schools across Mexico City Friday in hopes of containing the outbreak that has sickened more than 900 people. World health officials worry a global flu epidemic could spread from the city of 20 million.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says tests show some of the Mexico victims died from the same new strain of swine flu that sickened eight people in Texas and California. It's a frightening new strain that combines genetic material from pigs, birds and humans.

No comments: