Don't fly to America, sings European Union

Updated on: 28 April,2009 08:15 AM IST |
Agencies |

Countries may even quarantine visitors showing symptoms of swine flu

Countries may even quarantine visitors showing symptoms of swine flu

safety first: A manager at a clinic in in Oakland, USA, trains two women in the use of a respiratory protection mask, which may be used for protection from the possible infection of the swine flu, yesterday. Twenty cases of the deadly flu, which has claimed 130 lives in neighbouring Mexico, have been suspected in the US. pic/ap

Russia, Hong Kong and Taiwan said they would quarantine visitors showing symptoms of the virus amid a surging global concern about a possible pandemic.

World stock markets fell as investors worried that the deadly outbreak could go global and derail any global economic recovery.

The virus was suspected in up to 103 deaths in Mexico, the epicentre of the outbreak with more than 1,600 cases suspected, while 20 cases were confirmed in the United States and six in Canada.

US President Barack Obama said the threat of spreading infections is cause for concern but "not a cause for alarm".

In Luxembourg, European Union Health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou urged Europeans to postpone nonessential travel to the United States and Mexico "unless it is very urgent for them."

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