In Mexico City, the infection is fear *

* Above, Saturday afternoon in downtown D.F. masks on, masks off.

Oh no. Reforma is reporting that a man who shook the hand of U.S. President Barack Obama at the Anthropology Museum during his state visit last week died the next day from flu-like symptoms. (We're checking on this.) Not to worry, though: Obama's post-trip health is fine. But the "swine flu" is still spreading rapidly, with "pandemic potential" and no containment in sight. Cases have been reported in California, Texas, Kansas, and among prep school kids in Queens, New York.

The New York Times is noting that Obama has yet to fill top federal health positions in his government; so far the most the administration has done is move supplies of Tamiflu and face masks to San Diego and San Antonio. Swell. And, uh-oh, a British Airways crew member has been hospitalized with flu-like symptoms after a flight from Mexico City to London.

In D.F., the epicenter of the epidemic, one resident summed up the mood for Reuters today: "I think it's worse than they're telling us." Well, most public events have been canceled. The metro is still operating but with hardly its normal level of weekend traffic. Public gathering spaces are closed or nearly empty -- that includes art openings (most of them), museums, movie theaters, and soccer matches. Unbelievably, schools will be closed until "at least" May 6, the health secretary has announced, raising the fear factor considerably.

That's at least 10 total weekdays of no classes for more than 6 million students at all levels. To put things in perspective, the last time classes were shuttered for days on end was during the apocalyptic Mexico City earthquake of 1985.

On Saturday, while the top brass at the WHO convened an emergency meeting in Geneva, soldiers in Mexico City were passing out face-masks at traffic stops, metro stations, and plazas. A militar in fatigues handed me a mask upon entering metro Bellas Artes, but it fell apart before I could even get on a train. On board, passengers eyed one another suspiciously and made every effort to avoid contact with strangers.

The NYT tonight:

Even Sunday Mass will probably be affected. The Roman Catholic Church gave worshipers the option to listen to Masses on the radio and told priests who decided to hold services to be brief and put Communion wafers in worshipers' hands instead of their mouths.

Axel de la Macorra, 46, a physics professor at National Autonomous University of Mexico, said he became worried when he learned recently that a 31-year-man who played at a tennis club he once belonged to had suddenly died. "He got sick at the beginning of April and two weeks later, he was dead," said Mr. de la Macorra, who was weighing whether to attend a First Communion with 200 guests on Saturday.

Now, this is the sort of atmosphere some of us have most feared, health worries aside: An already heavy-handed federal government in Mexico issued an ominous decree on Saturday, saying it reserves the right to hold and quarantine anyone, enter and search any public or private establishment, and more or less do whatever it deems necessary to stop the virus from spreading.

Which makes you wonder if this is really Mexico's "worst nightmare." As of right now, 1,000 cases are reported in the country, with more than 60 being fatal, mostly in Mexico City and with other deaths blamed on swine flu in neighboring states. Meanwhile, the federal health secretariat website is currently down.

* Post updated.

** Previously, "Monitoring the deadly flu epidemic in Mexico."

*** Photo above by Conrad Starr.

Comments

[Rebecca K]

if you can read this, may you remain in radiant health.

[Daniel Hernandez]

... I'm just thinking about the crazy-nasty flu that struck me in late February/early March, right about when this supposedly started. I was bed-ridden, pretty much unable to move, for about six days, with horrible symptoms... The worst flu I ever had -- or survived.

[bill nericcio]

me too, here in san diego, 6 days of hell; 103 fever, etc. odd!

[Alejandro]

Any reports about what protocol is for outbound flights to the US? I head to NYC tomorrow (from DF) and am packing my mask and stuff, but should I be worried about quarantines, etc?

[La Cindy]

Just looked this up cuz i got a flu vaccine this year. According to the AP:

While people who are given the seasonal flu vaccine will probably be not protected against swine flu, it may prevent them from getting the seasonal flu. If they are then infected with swine flu, that reduces the possibility of the two flus mixing in that person to create a potential pandemic strain.

[Roman]

Got some friends out there walkin around with masks. Thanks for teh details bro. Hope yall spared se cuidan! Si el gobierno no puede con los carteles va poder con una epidemia>? although....imaginate what bragging rights pa los Zetas: cuidado somos peor que la virus...

[Daniel Hernandez]

Take care, Bill.

We're looking for an update later today...

Cases suspected in Spain and New Zealand ... Most antros and public spaces shut last night in Mexico City ...

Press briefing in progress in the White House..

[Daniel Hernandez]

Alejandro, I think at the airports right now they're just checking for people with obvious symptoms..

[Gustavo Arellano]

Got a headache, sniffles, and body aches. Am treating with chicken pho for the meanwhile...

[Victoria]

Regarding the suspension of classes - basically, we have a 3 to 5 day long weekend coming up (May 1st, Friday, plus May 5th Tuesday, optional Monday depending on the school).

I figured on Friday that they would extend the suspension until after the holidays, it wouldn't much sense to send the kids back say Tuesday or Wednesday, with the week ending on Thursday.

So, actually, including this past Friday, a total of 6 days will have been missed (or 5, at my school we also had Monday the 4th off) .

I greeted several people at a party last night, and I drank out of a bottle that many were sharing! Yikes! Having put myself at risk, now I will lay low. And enjoy my extended vacation at home.

[Frank Sosa]

Thinking of you and how surreal it must be up there. My girl got a flu today. We had a bout of paranoia but got over it after we had some pho in San Fernando Valley.

[Mehammed]

Hope neither you nor your loved ones get it. Pho seems to be the new cure.

[Daniel Hernandez]

We desperately need a pho joint down here..

[Steven Donahue]

Currently people are rather hysterical because of the swine flu. In Asia people wear surgical masks on the street to protect themself too.

[domuz gribi]

thanks for great info...