Second US Flu Victim Gave Birth Last Week

(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»

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»

(NEWSER) - Millions of Mexican students are back at school this week as six of 31 states resume classes, the BBC reports. Parents and teachers spent days scrubbing down the schools with disinfectant, and many students are still wearing surgical masks as they return from their unexpected two-week break. Schools in 6 more states will stay shuttered for another week as officials investigate new flu cases there. 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»