Mexicans told to ‘stay home’ as flu spreads

Mexico’s president has told citizens to stay at home for five days from Saturday as the embattled country begins a partial shutdown of its economy. In his first televised address since the crisis erupted last week, president Felipe Calderón told Mexicans to stay at home with their families.

The country will suspend non-essential work and services, including some government ministries, from May 1 to 5. “There is no safer place than your own home to avoid being infected with the flu virus,” president Calderón said.

Mexico reported another 17 deaths potentially linked to swine flu, bringing the total to as many as 176. “Influenza pandemics must be taken seriously precisely because of their capacity to spread rapidly to every country in the world,” Margaret Chan, director-general of the WHO, said yesterday, as she raised the official alert level to phase 5, the last step before a pandemic.

In Mexico City, a metropolis of 20 million, all schools, restaurants, nightclubs and public events have been shut down to try to stop the disease from spreading, bringing normal life to a virtual standstill.

Apart from closing down its capital, Mexico has taken other measures to contain the outbreak: all archeological sites have been closed; a regional beach football championship has been postponed; and all first division football games this coming weekend will be played with no spectators.