World Bank gives Mexico more than $200 million in loans to help with swine flu outbreak

May 14th, 2009 MEXICO CITY - The toll in Mexico's swine flu outbreak has risen to 60, Health Minister Jose Angel Cordova Villalobos said. A total of 2,386 people have been infected with the influenza A(H1N1) virus, also called swine flu.

May 4th, 2009 MEXICO CITY - The Mexican government has said the swine flu outbreak has peaked in the country and is now in decline, with a confirmed human death toll of 22. Health Minister Jose Angel Cordova told reporters Sunday: 'The evolution of the epidemic is now in a phase of decline.' According to the latest data, 22 people have died of swine flu and 578 people have been infected with the virus.

April 30th, 2009 WASHINGTON - US officials said Thursday the US swine flu confirmed-case total has risen to 109, up from 91 Wednesday. Richard Besser, acting director of the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, said six people have been hospitalised since the disease outbreak began earlier this month, including the 23-month-old Mexican toddler who died Wednesday in the Houston's children's hospital.

April 30th, 2009 World Bank: DC employee likely has swine fluWASHINGTON — Some employees of the World Bank in Washington are being asked to work from home after one of their colleagues was preliminarily diagnosed with swine flu. The bank said Thursday that the man is believed to have been exposed to the illness while traveling in Mexico for business from April 13 to 18.

April 30th, 2009 BEIJING - The Chinese government has rejected as "groundless" foreign reports labeling the country as the origin of the swine flu outbreak. According to the reports, dead pigs found in Fuqing, Fujian province, might be the source of the outbreak in Mexico, but China's Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) said the pigs died of swine dysentery and dropsy.

April 29th, 2009 Mexico City mayor: 1 more death, toll stabilizingMEXICO CITY — Mexico City's mayor says the swine flu outbreak seems to be stabilizing, with one more death since he spoke last. If the death toll keeps tapering off, he says he will consider easing the citywide shutdown.

April 28th, 2009 Swine flu has Caterpillar restrict Mexican travelPEORIA, Ill. — Heavy equipment maker Caterpillar Inc.

April 27th, 2009 Six Flags closes indoor park facilities in MexicoNEW YORK — Six Flags Inc. confirmed Monday that it shut down indoor facilities — including restaurants and show venues — at its Mexico City theme park over the weekend at the recommendation of Mexican health officials working to contain the spread of swine flu.

April 27th, 2009 NEW YORK - UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said here Monday the outbreak of swine flu 'has become one of the most serious concerns of the international community', and called for 'global solidarity' to fight the epidemic. Ban, in a statement he read out to the press, said: 'We are concerned that this (swine flu) virus would cause a new influenza pandemic.' 'If we are indeed facing a pandemic, we need to demonstrate global solidarity,' Ban said.

April 27th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Mexico will get $205 million from the World Bank, including $25 million immediately, to combat the growing swine flu epidemic that is already believed to have claimed more than 80 lives. Mexican Finance Minister Agustin Carstens said the $25 million would be used 'to take care of more immediate needs', including medicine and equipment to help contain the epidemic.

April 25th, 2009 Mexico City cancels all public events for 10 daysMEXICO CITY — Mexico City is suspending all public events for 10 days as officials try to contain an outbreak of a deadly new swine flu. Mayor Marcelo Ebrard says the city has enough medicine to treat those infected, but the city's focus is on containing the spread of the strain.

April 25th, 2009 WHO chief to oversee handling of swine flu crisisGENEVA — The head of the World Health Organization arrived in Geneva on Saturday to oversee the agency's handling of the swine flu outbreak that is believed to have killed dozens of people in Mexico. Margaret Chan broke off a visit to Washington to return to WHO's Strategic Health Operation Center in Switzerland, where she was being briefed before an emergency committee meeting later Saturday to consider whether to raise the pandemic alert level or issue travel advisories, spokesman Gregory Hartl said.

April 25th, 2009 Obama health fine after trip to MexicoWASHINGTON — The White House says President Barack Obama's health is fine a little more than a week after he traveled to Mexico, where an outbreak of swine flu has killed at least 68 people and sickened more than 1,000. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Saturday that "the President’s trip to Mexico has not put his health in any danger." The top international health official says the new swine flu strain that has hit Mexico has "pandemic potential." Obama was in Mexico last week to meet with top government officials and talk about the growing problem with drug smuggling and border violence.

April 25th, 2009 Mexico may isolate flu patients, inspect homesMEXICO CITY — The Mexican government has issued a special decree clarifying Health Department powers to isolate patients and to inspect homes, incoming travelers and baggage to curb an outbreak of swine flu. Officials say the decree gives clear legal authority to health department workers who might otherwise face lawsuits.

April 24th, 2009 Drugmakers: Swine flu strain responds to medicinesNEW YORK — Makers of the two main antiviral flu treatments said Friday they've been in touch with world health authorities on the outbreak of swine flu in Mexico City and said the virus seems to respond to their medicines. GlaxoSmithKline, which makes Relenza, and Roche, which makes Tamiflu, said they have been in touch with the World Health Organization as Mexico City shut down schools, libraries and other institutions to try to quell the outbreak, which has killed at least 20 people.