* Above, Line 2 of the metro, unbelievably empty.
No Mass was delivered in churches in Mexico City on Sunday as the swine flu epidemic raced across the world, with confirmed or suspected cases now in New York, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Spain, and more coming in by the hour. Bars and clubs in usually bustling D.F. are empty. Everyone is keeping their distance, keeping on their 'cubreboca', and staying indoors.
One D.F. guy reports gloomily on Twitter: 'I called Domino's but they said they ran out of products.'
In the U.S., the White House on Sunday said, 'Stay calm.' But in Mexico, the death toll is now up to 103 suspected victims of the swine flu, and there are worries that if the virus is not halted, more drastic measures may need to be taken to curb the infections. In Mexico City, home to some 20 million people, the mayor said Sunday that "all activities" could be indefinitely suspended if the virus keeps spreading -- including the public transportation system.
The thought of a Mexico City with no metro service -- it runs 20 hours a day, 365 days a year, and is used by 5 million people daily -- is pretty frightening, conceptually speaking. (See the photo above, shot on Sunday at around 5 p.m., when the trains are normally packed with people.)
On a "small planet," should any of this be surprising anymore? Still, this city lives on movement. No movement ... no city? And now, no classes for another week. Time to abandon the urbe?
* This is all we're posting until late Monday or early Tuesday. Check back here for updates, and on Twitter follow Mexico Times, Susana Seijas, Deborah Bonello, and Franc Contreras. You can also follow me here.
** I'm scheduled to appear on several radio programs nationally and locally in the United States on Monday to report on and discuss this story. Listen in! And please check back later for those links.
