Swine-flu cases rise in U.S., Mexico

MEXICO CITY (AP) — The swine- flu epidemic entered a dangerous new phase Monday as the death toll climbed in Mexico, and the number of suspected cases there and in the United States nearly doubled. The World Health Organization raised its alert level but stopped short of declaring a global emergency.

The United States advised Americans against most travel to Mexico and ordered stepped-up border checks in neighboring states. The European Union health commissioner advised Europeans to avoid nonessential travel both to Mexico and parts of the United States.

The virus poses a potentially grave new threat to the U.S. economy, which was showing tentative early signs of a recovery. A widespread outbreak could batter tourism, food and transportation industries, deepening the recession in the U.S. and possibly worldwide.

The suspected number of deaths rose to 149 in Mexico, the epicenter of the outbreak with nearly 2,000 people believed to be infected.

The number of U.S. cases rose to 48, the result of further testing at a New York City school, although none was fatal. Other U.S. cases have been reported in Ohio, Kansas, Texas and California. In Elyria, Ohio, an elementary school was closed Monday as health officials worked to contain the spread of swine flu, which sickened a 9-year-old boy.

In New Jersey, health officials said they’ve identified five probable cases of swine flu in people who recently traveled to Mexico and California.

The New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services said Monday that all have mild forms of the flu, and none has been hospitalized.

The department said it’s arranging for confirmatory testing at the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Results are expected within two days.

Also Monday, Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, the chairman of an appropriations subcommittee dealing with health issues, called for a hearing this afternoon to explore the public health response to the outbreak.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano is to testify before a Senate panel Wednesday. Across the Capitol a day later, other health experts are scheduled to tell a House subcommittee about the risk of the flu spreading.

Worldwide, there were 73 cases, including six in Canada, one in Spain and two in Scotland.

Though the total cases were still measured in hundreds, not thousands, Mexican Health Secretary Jose Angel Cordova said the epidemic was entering an extremely dangerous phase, with the number of people infected mushrooming even as authorities desperately ramped up defenses.

The WHO raised the alert level to Phase 4, meaning there is sustained human-to-human transmission of the virus causing outbreaks in at least one country.

Its alert system was revised after bird flu in Asia began to spread in 2004, and Monday was the first time it was raised above Phase 3.

“At this time, containment is not a feasible option,” as the virus has already spread to several other countries, said WHO Assistant Director-General Keiji Fukuda.

Putting an alert at Phases 4 or 5 signals that the virus is becoming increasingly adept at spreading among humans. That move could lead governments to set trade, travel and other restrictions aimed at limiting its spread.

Phase 6 is for a full-blown pandemic, characterized by outbreaks in at least two regions of the world.

It could take four to six months before the first batch of vaccines are available to fight the virus, WHO officials said.

President Barack Obama said the outbreak was reason for concern, but not yet “a cause for alarm.”

Dr. Richard Besser, acting director of the CDC, said that so far the virus in the U.S. seems less severe than in Mexico. Only one person has been hospitalized in the U.S.

“I wouldn’t be overly reassured by that,” Besser told reporters at CDC headquarters in Atlanta, raising the possibility of more severe cases in the United States.