Notices on travel from Mexico

Travellers are being advised not to visit Mexico as a precaution against swine flu.

The warning from the public health authorities comes after the World Health Organisation stepped up the alert from Level III to Level IV, two levels away from a pandemic.

Earlier yesterday morning, Public Health Regulation Director General Ray Busuttil had said there was no need for any special precautions. However, the department decided to issue the travel advice in view of the heightened alert levels.

Notices were posted at the airport and the seaport informing arriving Maltese and tourists to contact the Health Promotion Department if they had just arrived from Mexico.

Still, Dr Busuttil insisted: "There is no need to worry; we are prepared". Even though the alert level was raised, there is no pandemic, he said.

Although Malta has not had any suspected cases of the new influenza virus, the health authorities are on the alert for any news.

The disease was detected in Mexico last week and there are more than 1,600 cases under observation in the country, with some 150 people believed to have died after succumbing to the virus. There are 21 countries where suspected cases have been reported including 10 EU member states. There are in all 1,759 suspected cases, of which 51 in EU member states. Cases have also been confirmed in the US, Canada and the UK, while suspected cases are being monitored in New Zealand, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, France , Italy and also Israel.

There have only been 79 cases globally and three cases in the EU which have been confirmed to be due to the H1N1 virus. Symptoms, like normal influenza, include high temperature, headache, coughs and aches and pains.

Any Maltese nationals who have travelled to Mexico over the past three weeks are encouraged to inform the Health Promotion Department. Dr Busuttil said that no one had yet approached the authorities. "We have received several queries about whether it is safe to travel to countries other than Mexico and we told them to go ahead," he said.

The new influenza is caused by the swine variant of the H1N1 strain, a common seasonal illness in pigs but which has to date not been seen in humans. There is no human vaccine available against the virus and experts have long warned that it would take between four and six months to develop one.

In 2005, Malta made arrangements to acquire vaccines against most viruses that cause a pandemic as soon as these became available.

Dr Busuttil said there have not been any reports that the swine flu was resistant to the well-known antiviral Tamiflu.

How to avoid the flu

• Avoid close contact with people who appear unwell and who have fever and cough.

• General infection control practices and good hygiene help to reduce transmission of all viruses, including swine flu. Cover nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing. Use a tissue when possible and dispose of it promptly.

• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water to reduce the spread of the virus from your hands to face and clean hard surfaces like door handles frequently.

• It is still safe to eat pork but the meat must be cooked properly.