CHINA/MYANMAR: FLU - China suspends Mexico flights/Myanmar takes prevention measures

Record ID: 608796

  • Title: CHINA/MYANMAR: FLU - China suspends Mexico flights/Myanmar takes prevention measures
  • Date: 3rd May 2009
  • Summary: SHANGHAI, CHINA (MAY 2, 2009) (REUTERS) INTERIOR OF SHANGHAI PUDONG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT PASSENGERS WEARING MASKS INSIDE AIRPORT POLICEMAN STANDING NEAR SIGN OF SHANGHAI AIRPORT TICKETING OFFICE WOMAN LOOKING AT DEPARTURE BOARD BOARD SHOWING CHECK-IN COUNTERS FOR VARIOUS AIRLINES, INCLUDING AEROMEXICO AIRLINES PASSENGERS LOOKING AT AIRPLANES PARKED AT DEPARTURE GATE EXTERIOR OF SERVICE COUNTER FOR AEROMEXICO AIRLINES SIGN FOR AEROMEXICO EMPTY SERVICE COUNTER FOR AEROMEXICO CHECK-IN AREA FOR CHINA EASTERN AIRLINES FLIGHTS TO HONG KONG, MACAU AND TAIWAN BOARD SHOWING FLIGHT MU505 AS CANCELLED SIGN FOR CHECK-IN AREA FOR CHINA EASTERN FLIGHTS TO HONG KONG, MACAU AND TAIWAN CHECK-IN BOOTHS (SOUNDBITE) (Cantonese) 30-YEAR-OLD HONG KONG RESIDENT, REBECCA WONG, SAYING "Of course I am worried but there's nothing we can do. When I return home, I will be more careful. If there is indeed an outbreak, I will wear masks. At home, we have already bought a lot of masks." CHECK-IN COUNTER FOR SHANGHAI AIRLINES FLIGHTS BOARD SHOWING SHANGHAI AIRLINES FLIGHT TO HONG KONG PASSENGERS AT CHECK-IN COUNTER (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) 47-YEAR-OLD TAIWANESE BUSINESSMAN, CHEN HAISAN, SAYING "With our previous experience, we will be more careful now. I believe we can get through this period of panic. We should be able to get pass this." PEOPLE AT INTERNATIONAL ARRIVALS AREA PASSENGERS WEARING MASKS WALKING OUT OF INTERNATIONAL ARRIVALS GATE PASSENGERS WEARING MASKS WALKING BY MAN WEARING MASK WALKING BY (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) 22-YEAR-OLD SHANGHAI RESIDENT, HUANG XIN, SAYING: "I don't think there is any (panic). There are no such incidents of (H1N1 flu) in Shanghai. If everyone takes precautions, I don't there will be a spread of this here." EXTERIOR OF SHANGHAI YICHEN HOTEL WHERE SOME PASSENGERS FROM AEROMEXICO FLIGHT ARE BEING QUARANTINED SIGN OF SHANGHAI YICHEN HOTEL GATE OF SHANGHAI YICHEN HOTEL VIEW OF WINDOWS OF ROOMS AT SHANGHAI YICHEN HOTEL
  • Embargoed: 18th May 2009 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: International Relations,Health
  • Reuters ID: LVA5SHTZ802BRD8U3R4AZMMW67SF
  • Story Text: The Chinese government on Saturday (May 2) suspended flights to and from Mexico after Hong Kong authorities confirmed a Mexican traveler who transited through the Chinese mainland had the new H1N1 flu.
    The 25-year-old Mexican is being treated in Hong Kong, where he arrived on Thursday (April 21) after a stopover at Shanghai's Pudong International Airport.
    China's Ministry of Health has asked local authorities to quarantine all passengers who were on the Mexicana Airlines flight that landed in Shanghai and also those who flew with the man from Shanghai to Hong Kong on China Eastern airlines.
    Mexicana Airlines flies between Mexico and Shanghai. Mexicana Airlines operates the direct flight as a codeshare with fellow airline Aeromexico. No Chinese airlines fly to Mexico.
    Local media reported that the man was on a Mexicana Airlines Flight AM098 from Mexico City to Shanghai, before transiting at the Pudong Airport and later boarding a China Eastern Airlines Flight MU505 from Shanghai to Hong Kong.
    On Thursday, Shanghai medical personnel from the city's Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau had boarded the Mexicana Airlines flight to conduct temperature checks of the passengers on board before letting them go on to their final destinations. Local media reported that the medical personnel found no one to be having fever at that time.
    On Saturday (May 2), some passengers at the Shanghai Pudong Airport were seen wearing masks but most people seem calm and were going about their travels as normal.

    "Of course I am worried but there's nothing we can do. When I return home, I will be more careful. If there is indeed an outbreak, I will wear masks. At home, we have already bought a lot of masks," said 30-year-old Hong Kong resident Rebecca Wong who was returning home after visiting friends in Shanghai.

    "With our previous experience, we will be more careful now. I believe we can get through this period of panic. We should be able to get pass this," said 47-year-old Taiwanese businessman, Chen Haisan (pron: chen-hye-san), who planned to transit in Hong Kong before going back to Taiwan.
    Shanghai health authorities say they are looking for 15 people who had been on the Mexicana Airlines flight and have listed their names in local media.
    They are being asked to stay where they are and call the city's disease control centre by telephone.
    But local residents said there is no need for panic as there has been no confirmed cases of the H1N1 flu in Shanghai.

    "I don't think there is any (panic). There are no such incidents of (H1N1 flu) in Shanghai. If everyone takes precautions, I don't there will be a spread of this here," said Shanghai resident, Huang Xin (pron: hwang-hsin), who was at the airport to see a friend off.
    Local media reported that several Mexicans from Thursday's Mexicana Airlines flight were being held in quarantine at the Shanghai Yichen Hotel, near the Pudong International Airport.
    Local media also said authorities in Shanghai, Guangdong and Beijing have put most passengers who boarded the flight under medical observation.
    Local medical authorities are set to quarantine all the passengers on the flight for seven days.
    China this week vowed to disclose any human cases of the new fever promptly, while state-run newspapers have urged officials to be open and avoid the kind of cover-ups that brought panic during the SARS epidemic in 2003.
    The SARS virus killed hundreds in the mainland and Hong Kong.
    But back then Chinese officials hid the growing toll from "Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome" from the public for weeks before spreading deaths and rumours forced the government to reveal the epidemic, apologise and vow full candour in future disease outbreaks.
    In Myanmar, the government started establishing flu prevention measures on April 25, state television said on Saturday.
    Thermo-sensor cameras have been set up at the airport and health staff are conducting temperature checks on arriving passengers.
    There are no reported or suspect flu cases in Myanmar, state television said.
    END
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