Pandemic alert

Football matches cancelled and face masks being snapped up.

Has the nightmare scenario of a worldwide pandemic began in Mexico city?

A mystery ailment affecting mostly young adults which began as a flu-like illness and rapidly deteriorate to respiratory distress and breathing difficulties has been identified has now been identified as a swine flu strain.

It is genetically new and unfamiliar to scientists and combines bird flu,swine fever and the human flu virus.

Today the authorities in Mexico City have closed all schools and universities in an effort to control the outbreak.

What is worrying about this is that previous outbreaks of flu pandemics such as the
1918 outbreak started amongst the vunerable,ie infants and older people.

There are reports of 80 deaths and over 1000 people infected.

Mexican President Felipe Calderon said he was confident health officials would resolve the flu outbreak during a meeting today with the country’s General Health Council.

So far there are no restrictions on travel in and out of the country.

The situation though appears serious as Margaret Chan, head of the WHO, broke off a visit to Washington to return to the agency's headquarters in Switzerland to coordinate a response to the emergency.

Clinton apologises to the Mexicans

Another sign from the Obama administration that it trying to turn back the clock on eight years of Bush


The quote of the day in the New York Times

“Our insatiable demand for illegal drugs fuels the drug trade,” Mrs. Clinton said, using unusually blunt language. “Our inability to prevent weapons from being illegally smuggled across the border to arm these criminals causes the deaths of police officers, soldiers and civilians.”