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MEXICO CITY: Mexican authorities on Monday shuttered schools across the country on Monday in a bid to stop the spread of swine flu, as the probable death toll rose to 149, and a strong earthquake struck the country.
The 6.0-magnitude earthquake added to a climate of fear as it shook buildings in Mexico City during a news conference, held outdoors to reduce risk of infection, to announce the latest on the flu outbreak.
No immediate casualties or damages were reported from the quake that led thousands of residents to flee onto streets earlier emptied by flu fears.
The probable death toll from the new swine flu outbreak in Mexico meanwhile rose to 149.
"There are 149 who have died that we're investigating to allow us to confirm" that they meet the strict criteria that defines swine flu, Health Minister Jose Angel Cordova said. Officials have confirmed 20 people died from the disease.
The number of cases under observation in Mexico has reached 1,614.
"All education activities across the country are suspended from next Tuesday to May 6," Cordova added.
Schools in Mexico City, the heart of the epidemic, were already closed on Friday.
"We're in the decisive moment of the crisis, the number (of deaths) will continue rising," Cordova added.
As travellers returned from trips to Mexico, suspected cases were reported from New Zealand to Spain, and two first cases were confirmed in Britain.
With the Mexican capital's zoos, museums, churches, courts and many restaurants already closed in the urban area of some 20 million, Mexico City aimed to shut down businesses too on Monday, despite an economy hard hit by the economic crisis and already suffering from the flu outbreak.
"We'll meet with practically all the productive sectors of the city to (firm up) everything we can do in each company, whether it's large, medium or small, to help reduce the speed the virus spreads," Mexico City mayor Marcelo Ebrard said on Monday, after city officials already advised many restaurants and bars to close.
The moves were likely to be met with reluctance in a country already battered by the economic crisis.
The Mexican stock exchange opened sharply down by 4.81 percent Monday, in a drop attributed to the flu outbreak.
The World Health Organisation has warned the new strain of flu, apparently born when human and avian flu viruses infected pigs and became mixed, could further mutate.
The World Bank on Sunday announced a 205-million-dollar loan to help Mexico fight the virus, including 25 million dollars available immediately, said Mexican Finance Minister Agustin Carstens.
Meanwhile, British pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline said it had provided 100,000 packs of an anti-viral drug to Mexican authorities, along with a further 170,000 doses of its seasonal flu vaccine, and was discussing with Mexico whether further help was needed.
US health authorities on Monday said they had released 25 percent of a federal drugs stockpile to states fighting swine flu, distributing 11 million courses of antiviral medication.
After Mexico, the United States has so far recorded the highest number of cases, with 20 confirmed, non-fatal, swine flu patients in five states.
The United States will on Monday release new precautions advising against non-essential travel to Mexico, top US health officials said. - AFP/de
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