Morning Brief: Mexico shuts down

Top Story The Mexican government has ordered a shutdown of all nonessential government services and businesses through Tuesday in an effort to contain the H1N1 swine flu virus. Around 2,500 Mexicans have now been infected with 170 deaths suspected. The number of confirmed infections continues to rise but the number of deaths does seem to ...

By , a former associate editor at Foreign Policy.
586275_090430_subway5.jpg
586275_090430_subway5.jpg
MEXICO CITY - APRIL 29: A women wears a surgical mask, to help prevent being infected with the swine flu, as she waits for the subway on April 29, 2009 in Mexico City, Mexico. Reports indicate that most people confirmed with the new swine flu were infected in Mexico, where the number of suspected swine flu deaths has surpassed 150. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Top Story

Top Story

The Mexican government has ordered a shutdown of all nonessential government services and businesses through Tuesday in an effort to contain the H1N1 swine flu virus. Around 2,500 Mexicans have now been infected with 170 deaths suspected. The number of confirmed infections continues to rise but the number of deaths does seem to be tapering off with the new measures.

The World Health Organization has raised the global pandemic threat level to 5 with at least 13 countries around the world now affected. So far, the only confirmed death from the flu outside of Mexico was a 23-month old child in Houston. The WHO has urged countries not to close their borders or restrict travel, saying that containment is no longer feasible and governments should focus on mitigation efforts.

Despite this, U.S. Homeland Security Secretay Janet Napolitano faced calls at a congressional hearing to close the U.S. border with Mexico. President Obama yesterday likened this to “closing the barn door after the horse is out.”

Middle East

Asia

  • Sri Lanka’s president rejected international calls for a ceasefire while the Tamil Tiger rebels vowed never to surrender.
  • After ethnic clashes killed 24 people in Karachi, paramilitaries have been assigned to patrol the city.
  • Japan had its first good economic news in months as industrial output rose in March. However, the Bank of Japan has still downgraded its forecast for GDP growth.

Europe

Americas

  • In a primetime press conference, President Barack Obama expressed grave concern over the instability in Pakistan and urged Americans to take precautions to stop the spread of flu. 
  • Mexico captured the leader of the brutal Zeta drug trafficking cartel.
  • Chrysler is rushing to secure a rescue deal from Fiat before a midnight deadline tonight.

Africa

Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Joshua Keating is a former associate editor at Foreign Policy. Twitter: @joshuakeating

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