[Mail and Globe] Mexico's flu epidemic has passed its peak, the Mexican government said on Sunday, and experts said the new H1N1 swine virus still could impact world health but may be no more severe than normal flu. Mexican Health Minister José Angel Córdova warned, however, it was too early for Mexico -- the epicenter of an outbreak that has spread to 19 countries -- to let down its guard.
Córdova said the outbreak of H1N1 flu appeared to have peaked in Mexico between April 23 and 28 and fewer people had admitted themselves to hospitals with serious flu symptoms in the past few days.
"The evolution of the epidemic is now in its phase of descent," Cordova told a news conference in Mexico City, where millions of people had heeded government advice to stay at home. "There is evidence that we are going downward."
After days of alarm and a partial shutdown of the economy that had kept streets eerily quiet, the atmosphere in Mexico's capital appeared more relaxed on Sunday, with some people venturing out on bikes or running. Many no longer wore masks. As testing improves, Mexican authorities have scaled back their estimate of how many people could have died from the flu strain to over 100, down from 176. Only 19 deaths in Mexico are confirmed as being caused by this flu.
But new cases of the virus, which mixes swine, avian and human flu strains, still were being tracked across the world, keeping alive fears of the threat of a pandemic. Experts stressed that the term "pandemic" describes geographic spread and does not categorize severity of illness.
The WHO said its laboratories had identified 787 H1N1 flu infections in 17 countries, including Ireland. Its toll lags national reports but is considered more scientifically secure.
Colombia became the latest country to report a confirmed case of the disease.
The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said on Sunday the new flu had spread to 30 US states and infected 226 people.