Many Mexico Schools Reopen

(NEWSER) - World Health Organization chief Margaret Chan told a summit in Mexico today that, though most cases of swine flu were not deadly, the virus cannot be stopped, the BBC reports. “With well over 100 countries reporting cases, once a fully fit pandemic virus emerges, its further international spread is unstoppable,” Chan said—adding that public perception is also tough to control. More»

Alert level lowered after no new infections reported for a week

(NEWSER) - Mexico City has lifted all measures introduced to curb the spread of swine flu, and changed its alert status to the lowest level, the BBC reports. "We can calm down now," said Mayor Marcelo Ebrard, telling residents they no longer have to wear masks. No new cases of the H1N1 strain have been reported in the city for over a week. More»

City faces new wave of crisis

(NEWSER) - An assistant principal in New York has become the sixth person to die from swine flu in the US, reports the New York Post. Mitchell Wiener, 55, fell ill more than week ago, but didn't seek medical help until his symptoms became severe, officials said. His school was shut last week as several students became ill. His death late yesterday came as five more Queens schools were closed—bringing the city's total to 11—after dozens of students reported flu-like symptoms. More»

Resorts try to lure back vacationers with promotion

(NEWSER) - Several Mexican resorts are offering free stays to tourists who catch swine flu while vacationing there, the Times of London reports. They hope to restore confidence in the sunny destination, which they say has been completely sanitized of the H1N1 virus. The hotel leading the promotion also slashed rates by 40%. Holiday bookings have fallen 83% during the flu outbreak. More»

Canadian researchers say H3N2 virus mutated from vaccine strain

(NEWSER) - A mutated version of the seasonal strain of flu targeted by this season's vaccine has surfaced in a traveler entering Canada from Mexico, Reuters reports. The development complicates the tracking of the virus in Mexico, which has suffered the majority of infections and deaths. The variant was previously found in Canadian long-term care facilities, where it may have caused an unusually late flu outbreak in March. More»