News Summary for May 11, 2009

Who said the influenza crisis is over? Eights state put off the return of children to classes seeking to avoid the further spread of the A H1N1 influenza… Chiapas, Zacateca, Nayarit and Michoacan, set back resuming classes at the primary level until May 18, whereas for Jalisco, Hidalgo, Guerrero and San Luis Potosí, the additional week off for pupils was at all levels.

* Public Education Secretary Alonso Lujambio said that if appropriate preventive measures were taken conditions were fine for nearly 23 million pre-school, primary and secondary level kids to return to classes…(Comment: Mmmm hard to believe. There are still schools that have no water or electricity.)

* On a trip to Jalisco, and after confirming 31 flu infections there, Health Secretary José Ángel Córdova said the outbreak there was predictable given the mobility of people in the country… He lauded the decision by Jalisco state authorities to set back resuming school until May 18, as well as keeping entertainment centers and gathering places shut down for one more week.

* The Health Secretariat said in a press release that the latest death toll from the

A H1N1 flu was 48 with 1,626 confirmed infections. The WHO reported on Sunday evening that 29 countries have officially reported 4379 cases of influenza AH1N1 infection. The United States has reported 2532 laboratory confirmed human cases, including two deaths. Canada has reported 280 laboratory confirmed human cases, including one death. Costa Rica has reported eight laboratory confirmed human cases, including one death.

The following countries have reported laboratory confirmed cases with no deaths - Argentina (1), Australia (1), Austria (1), Brazil (6), China, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (1), Colombia (1), Denmark (1), El Salvador (2), France (12), Germany (11), Guatemala (1), Ireland (1), Israel (7), Italy (9), Japan (4), Netherlands (3), New Zealand (7), Panama (3), Poland (1), Portugal (1), Republic of Korea (3), Spain (93), Sweden (1), Switzerland (1) and the United Kingdom (39).

* There is political news…PAN leader Germán Martínez Cázares accused the PRI of “using” women to fill out its gender equality quotas in lists of candidates for deputy posts, but not really taking them to Congress…

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*PRI senator Manlio Fabio Beltrones called for politicians to set aside party interests and short-term goals to confront the economic recession left by the health emergency Mexico faces.