Mexico recovery faces hitches
Güncelleme Tarihi:
AP
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Mayıs 09, 2009 00:00
MEXICO CITY - Mexico's emergence from a national shutdown hit snags as some high schools were not cleaned in time to open and students returned to class in others without swine flu checkups. Cases of the virus popped up in two more Latin America countries.
Despite the hitches, Mexico pressed ahead with its return to normal life as workers disinfected day care centers and kindergartens in preparation for their reopening on Monday. Authorities were to pass out antiseptic hand gel to all of the capital's 5,000 schools on Friday. Finance Secretary Agustin Carstens announced that Mexico's economy is in a recession and could contract by 4.1 percent this year because of the swine flu and a decline in exports to the U.S.
"It is a fact that we are in recession," Carstens told reporters - marking the first time the government has acknowledged Mexico is already in a recession.
In Geneva, the World Health Organization said based on past outbreaks, it is possible that a third of the world's population, or about 2 billion people, could become infected if this outbreak turns into a two-year pandemic. Independent experts agreed that the estimate was possible but pointed out that many would not show any symptoms.
Brazilian health minister said three young adults contracted the virus in Mexico, and a fourth in Florida. Argentina's first case was a man who returned from Mexico on April 25.
"It is a fact that we are in recession," Carstens told reporters - marking the first time the government has acknowledged Mexico is already in a recession.
In Geneva, the World Health Organization said based on past outbreaks, it is possible that a third of the world's population, or about 2 billion people, could become infected if this outbreak turns into a two-year pandemic. Independent experts agreed that the estimate was possible but pointed out that many would not show any symptoms.
Brazilian health minister said three young adults contracted the virus in Mexico, and a fourth in Florida. Argentina's first case was a man who returned from Mexico on April 25.