Mexican President Felipe Calderon told citizens to stay home starting Friday for a five-day partial shutdown of the economy, after the World Health Organization raised its alert level and said a swine flu pandemic was imminent. In his first televised address since the crisis erupted last week, Calderon told Mexicans to stay home with their families. The country will suspend non-essential work and services, including some government ministries, from May 1-5.
Yesterday, Mexico’s Health Minister Jose Angel Cordova added another 17 deaths in the country from swine flu. The figure brings the total number of swine flu deaths in Mexico to as many as 176, a Health Ministry spokesman said.