MEXICO CITY, May 5 (Xinhua) -- Mexico is planning to allocate some 17.4 billion pesos (1.3 billion U.S. dollars) to help businesses and individuals affected by the A/H1N1 flu, Finance Minister Augustin Carstens said on Tuesday.
The minister said such sectors as entertainment, restaurants and travel agencies were hard hit.
In the worst-hit Mexico City, bars, restaurants, nightclubs and gymnasiums had all been shut down to stem the spread of the new flu.
Cancelled tours have emptied 3,200 hotel rooms in the resort town of Los Cabos in the state of Baja California Sur, the town's tourism director Miroslav Bautista said on Monday.
In addition, 19 cruise ships have cancelled stop-offs in the port of Cabo San Lucas, which means a reduction of 40,000 visitors.
On Monday, Carstens said half of the fees to be charged on cruise ships in May-July would be waived, and a fund of 200 million pesos (15.1 million U.S. dollars) will be set up to boost the country's battered tourism.
Airlines will also see a 50-percent reduction of flights in Mexican air space from April to June, he added.
Efforts would also be made to boost credit to small and medium-sized businesses, he said.
As part of the package, the Agriculture Ministry's finance arm Financiera Rural will offer credits of up to 1 billion pesos (75.5million U.S. dollars) to pork farmers.
The A/H1N1 flu virus was widely known as swine flu until the World Health Organization requested a name change, and pig farmers had complained of a drop in pork demand even though people won't contract the disease by eating pork.
The Finance Ministry is also offering a range of rebates on tax and health insurance payments.
"Faced with the current emergency our nation is experiencing, the federal government has put in place all the tools at its disposal to confront it in a determined and opportune manner," said Carstens.
Mexican authorities on Tuesday announced 29 people have been killed by the epidemic and confirmed cases also rose to 913.
Worldwide, 1,740 cases have been confirmed and the United States reported the second death of the flu beyond Mexico -- a Texas woman in her 30s.
MEXICO CITY, May 4 (Xinhua) -- Popular Mexican tourist destination Los Cabos is losing around 650,000 U.S. dollars a week as the new A/H1N1 flu strain frightens visitors, local officials told media on Monday.
The resort has suffered cancellations that emptied 3,200 hotel rooms, the town's director of tourism, Miroslav Bautista, told media, even though Baja California Sur, the state where the resort is located, does not have a single case of the flu which has killed 27 people in Mexico.
Bautista said that, separately, 19 cruise ships have cancelled stop offs in the port of Cabo San Lucas, which represents 40,000 people who will not visit the area.
"Hotels, restaurants, bars, discos and small businesspeople have all felt the effects of cancellations and postponements," he said.
Mexico's government reported 727 cases of the disease across the country, making Mexico the hardest hit nation of the 21 countries the World Health Organization says now hosts the disease. Even so, six of Mexico's 32 states have no signs of the new flu.
WELLINGTON, April 29 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand Prime Minister John Key warned on Wednesday that the swine flu confirmations might have side-impact on New Zealand tourism.
He made his comment to reporters on Wednesday morning following the laboratory confirmation Tuesday night of three cases of swine flu and the Ministry of Health revealing that 179 people in New Zealand were in isolation.
Key, who also serves as tourism minister, said India had issued a travel warning and some Japanese tourists had canceled trips to New Zealand.
"It is important to put it in perspective," he said. "It is highly likely that most countries will have some outbreak of swine flu."
New Zealand was handling it well and had high stocks of Tamiflu.
"But obviously it is of concern to us that there could be a side-impact on tourism here in New Zealand," he said.
Key said he understood that India had issued a travel warning on a large number of countries, including the United States, Canada and Britain.
New Zealand is the sixth country in the world to have confirmed cases of the virus.
On Wednesday morning, health officials announced 14 cases of influenza A had been confirmed in the Auckland region, including the three people who had the new swine flu strain of influenza A.
Twelve of the influenza A cases are from a 25-person Rangitoto College group which returned from Mexico on Saturday.
OTTAWA, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Although Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said it remains unclear how the spreading swine flu will affect the economy, some of Canada's industries are already feeling the pinch and experts have warned about serious challenges ahead.
"It's definitely nothing to play down lightly ... This threatens to exacerbate what is already the most serious downturn of the post-war period," said Bank of Montreal economist Douglas Porter.
Canada has so far confirmed 13 mild cases of human infection of the swine flu. Chief public officer of health David Butler-Jones has warned that more severe cases may appear and may even result in deaths.
Agriculture and travel industries are among the biggest victims of the outbreak. On Monday, investors' worries already sent shares of pork producers lower on the stock markets, ignoring reassurances that the meat is not the source of the flu.
"They could've called it anything they wanted, but they've called it swine flu, so of course, it hits the hog industry real hard," said pork farmer John Pruen from southern Manitoba, which province produces a large share of Canada's pork.
"It could do a lot of damage to our industry," Jodi Bakke, director of policy and communications for Alberta Pork told reporters on Wednesday, adding precautions have been taken in the industry including keeping people with flu symptoms away from pigs.
Producers worry the swine flu will devastate hog farmers in the same way bovine spongiform encephalopathy, commonly known as mad cow disease, affected cattle farming a few years ago.
Reports say many countries including China and Russia are already banning the import of North American pork, which relies a lot on exports. The province of Manitoba alone exports four million hogs a year.
Even worse than the pork industry, the swine flu outbreak could have a disastrous effect on Canadian agricultural producers, many of whom rely on Mexican workers to plant and harvest crops.
More than 15,000 Mexican workers are entering Canada this year under a seasonal farm workers' program. Although Canada has not banned Mexican workers from coming, it is tightening admissions by asking all workers to be checked and undergo test before entering.
A reduction in farm workers could result in a disastrous season for the agricultural industry and for consumers, according to Doug Connery, the labor chairman of the Vegetable Growers Association of Manitoba.
Connery, who farms asparagus, carrots, green onions and broccoli on more than 300 hectares, usually brings in 80 migrant workers each year. He said he stands to lose half of his revenue if he cannot use workers from Mexico.
Connery also estimates Canadians would lose up to 30 percent of the food supply coming to this country if transport from Mexico is halted.
Meanwhile, the struggling airline and travel industries will also take a big hit if the virus continues to spread.
Some countries have issued warnings against traveling to Canada while Canada has issued official warnings against unnecessary trips to Mexico.
About 1 million Canadians head to Mexico every year, *** it one of the most popular destinations for the country. However, the growing public concern over the illness could freeze international travel and spell doom for an industry already reeling from low consumer confidence.
Several travel and air companies have canceled flights and vacation packages to Mexico, among which, Transat AT postponed all planned flights to Mexico through June 1; Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations suspended all operations to Cancun, Cozumel and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, until June 1. The airline will maintain its flights to Mexico City.
In a bid to keep business going, Air Canada and Westjet are offering to re-route passengers headed to Mexico to other destinations.
Still, at least one industry should benefit from the growing health worries: the pharmaceutical sector.
David Howell, who operates pandemic preparedness company AMI Business Resilience, said that some companies are already stocking up on anti-viral drugs, just in case.
"A lot of corporations, for their critical employees, are buying anti-virals to make sure they can maintain a business as usual arena and get through it," said Howell.
Workers wearing protective masks wait for a bakery to open in Mexico City April 28, 2009. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery
by Rob Welham, Wang Dongying
LONDON, April 29 (Xinhua) -- The spread of swine flu has raised concerns across the world as governments plan for a possible pandemic.
It is also creating fluctuations on stock markets, with some firms capitalizing on the flu scare and others reeling from losses as travel restrictions and worries about possible health risks hit the tourist industry.
PHARMACEUTICAL GAINS
Swine Flu Prevention
，How do people catch swine flu?
，What should one do if getting sick?
，Precautionary measures
，Medicines to treat swine fluPharmaceutical companies have profited from the news that swine fever is spreading. Several pharmaceutical stocks started this week with significant rises.
Roche, who markets Tamiflu, one of the antivirus used to treat the H1N1 virus, saw its shares rise 3.5 percent on Monday and edge up further on Tuesday. The company has already seen large revenue increases as authorities around the world stock up on the drug.
Since the global onset of avian flu in 2006, many governments have built up large stockpiles of Roche's Tamiflu as well as Relenza made by British pharmaceutical giant Glaxosmithkline (GSK). The GSK has also made gains as its share price lifted by 6 percent on Monday with further increases on Tuesday.
Worldwide, Roche saw sales in excess of 347 million U.S. dollars for the first quarter of 2009. The company has said that 264 million dollars worth of the drug was for stockpiling while around 84 million dollars worth was for general seasonal use.
While many developed countries are prepared for a medical emergency, the timing of the crisis is adding to the economic instability around the globe. The combination of a banking crisis and swine flu is creating worries and stress in many sectors.
Russia has already banned imports of products from Mexico as well as the U.S. states of California and Texas despite the fact that pork and under goods pose no biological threat.
TRAVEL, TOURISM AFFECTED
EU Health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou has said there's no need to panic, but her suggestion on avoiding travel to Mexico and other affected areas has aroused some anger.
Mexico City is said to be losing more than 85 million dollars per day in business. Many public buildings have closed and some restaurants and coffee shops are also shutting their doors. The number of tourists visiting Mexico is dropping and British travel agency Thomas Cook on Tuesday cancelled all its flights to the country for seven days.
Outbound passengers at Manchester Airport found themselves stranded on Tuesday morning with the 09:30 flight to Cancun, Mexico grounded. Tourism and travel related stocks have been hit by the potential health crisis.
British travel company Thomas Cook saw their share price drop 4.42 percent on Monday and 1.67 percent on Tuesday.
Several airlines saw significant falls with Lufthansa sinking nearly 10 percent and British Airways dropping nearly 8 percent on Monday. Further falls were also seen as trading began on Tuesday.
Most major indices around the global all saw drops, adding to the economic uncertainty which has gripped the financial markets in recent months.
The World Health Organization on Tuesday raised its threat level to Phase 4, meaning that the virus cannot be contained. Such a pandemic could also damage confidence in the market.
The World Bank has said that a pandemic on the scale of that seen in 1918 could cost the world economy around 3 trillion dollars. However, medicine has improved greatly over the last century, as has people's general health status.
There has been criticism that the threat is being over-hyped by the media. Front pages of many news***s in Britain have carried sensational headlines. The Daily Express shouted the headline, "Killer Pig Flu Fear in Britain".
And it is not just confined to the tabloids. Suggestions that up to 1 million could die and 9 million could contract the virus in Britain have adorned many front pages.
In response, one media analyst said: "The sheer volume of coverage creates the impression that the story is bigger than it really is."
FACE MASKS "NO DEFENCE"
The repetition of headlines and pictures of people wearing masks on rolling news channels are adding to the panic. Britain's Secretary of State for Health Alan Johnson has dismissed the usefulness of face masks.
"Many people will wish to know whether they should wear face masks. Although we are aware that face masks are being given out to the public in Mexico, the available scientific evidence does not support the general wearing of face masks by those who are not ill whilst going about their normal activities," he said.
However, he said the British government was looking to increase stockpiles of face masks for healthcare workers who are treating sick patients.
In the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), officials have also said the use of masks was unnecessary at this time. In contrast to statements given by the officials, the website of U.S. Federal Drug Administration says that N95 face masks "help protect the caregiver and patient against microorganisms, body fluids, and small particles in the air."
Some firms are already cashing in on people's fear. One company trading under the name Active Training Network is selling what it calls a Pandemic Kit for 44.99 pounds (65 U.S. dollars). The kit, containing three face masks, two biohazard bags, gloves and disinfectant spray, is marketed as a protection against epidemics such as bird flu.
Despite the experts' and governments' saying that face masks provide little protection, many suppliers said they were flying off their shelves.
After several hours' use, the masks would become damp and more porous and decrease their efficiency in preventing germs from passing through. There is also the problem of how to dispose of millions of potentially infected masks. This may trigger an even greater public health hazard.
However, many Britons shun the idea of wearing masks even if it proved to be useful. This is because these people consider it looks "uncool" to wear a face mask.
Three more die of swine flu in Mexico City, authorities say measures working
MEXICO CITY, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Three more people died in the last 24 hours of swine flu, Mexico City officials told a Tuesday press conference, adding that local authorities had ordered the closure of more public places.
The total number of deaths in the city believed to be related to swine flu is now 25, while 89 people are in hospital with swine-flu symptoms, said Armando Ahued Ortega, head of the city's health department. He said that 31 people had been hospitalized on Monday while 14 had been discharged from hospital. Full story
U.S. confirmed swine flu cases rise to 64, 5 hospitalized
WASHINGTON, April 28 (Xinhua) -- The number of confirmed human swine flu cases in the United States has risen to 64, with at least five patients having been hospitalized, a health official said Tuesday.
"I fully expect we will see deaths from this infection," as swine flu cases are investigated, said Richard Besser, acting director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta (CDC). Full story
White House asks for $1.5 bln for fighting swine flu
WASHINGTON, April 28 (Xinhua) -- The White House asked Congress to approve 1.5 billion U.S. dollars on Tuesday in a response to the fast spreading swine flu outbreak that has sickened over 60 in the United States.
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told a press conference that President Barack Obama raised the request to Congress in a letter "out of an abundance of caution" in order to "enhance our nation's capability to respond to the potential spread of this outbreak." Full story
Chinese President Hu calls for stepped-up efforts to prevent swine flu
BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- China went on full alert Tuesday to guard against swine flu, as authorities ordered round-the-clock monitoring of the deadly virus and suspension of pork imports from Mexico and the United States.
Chinese President Hu Jintao Tuesday ordered the country to step up inspection and quarantine measures to prevent swine flu from entering China and ensure public health and safety. Full story
WHO raises pandemic alert level from Phase 3 to Phase 4
GENEVA, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Amid the rapid spread of swine flu in some countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday raised its pandemic alert level from Phase 3 to Phase 4, warning of a significant increase in the risk of a pandemic.
Following the advice and guidance of an emergency committee, WHO Director-general Margaret Chan decided to raise the alert level from the current Phase 3 to Phase 4, a WHO official told the media on a teleconference. Full story
Swine flu has become "most serious concerns" of international community, UN chief says
UNITED NATIONS, April 27 (Xinhua) -- The unique strain of swine influenza suspected of killing nearly 150 people in Mexico and spreading rapidly to other countries is of "the most serious concern" to the international community, including the United Nations, UN Secretary-General Ban-Ki moon told reporters here on Monday.
"We are concerned that this virus could cause a new influenza pandemic," he said in a statement read to the press here. "It could be mild, in its effects, or potentially severe." Full story
Report: ROK confirms first swine flu case
SEOUL, April 28 (Xinhua) -- The Republic of Korea (ROK) confirmed on Tuesday the first case of human infection of swine influenza, the Yonhap news agency reported. Full story
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