| | |  News Around the Republic of Mexico | May 2009 
Without Containment Measures, Epidemic Could Have Been Much Worse: PAHO
 Presidencia de la República
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| | Mexico defended mankind with firmness and alacrity: President Calderón (Presidencia de la República) | |
At Friday's press conference, Health Secretary José Ángel Córdova Villalobos was accompanied by Drs. Philippe Lamy and Oscar J. Mújica, WHO/PAHO Representatives and Delegate Marco Antonio García Ayala.
Secretary Córdova reported that there have been 1,364 cases of Influenza A (H1N1) confirmed to date, including 45 deaths, corresponding to 3.3% of the total number of cases.
The Health Secretary said that Health Caravans have attended 132,401 persons, provided 17,031 consultations and carried out 574 quick tests. He added that five of its caravan units have been set up at some of the National University of Mexico's campuses, specifically its high schools.
Dr. Oscar J. Mújica reported on the way epidemics are spread throughout the world, mentioning the three key factors involved:
1) Transmission efficiency, the likelihood of becoming infected with the virus
2) Duration of infectiousness
3) Infectious Contact Rate - corresponding to the number of persons by which an individual is surrounded. These three factors comprise the OR or Epidemic Spread Rate.
Dr. Mújica explained that in an epidemic, it is vital to rapidly reduce the Propagation Rate or OR and that Mexico took the right measures to ensure that this happened.
He added that in a conservative scenario, if control measures had not been implemented, there would have been at least 30,000 hospitalizations and 8,000 deaths. These control measures should continue to be carried out although the epidemic appears to be stabilizing.
Mújica stressed the need to comply strictly with control measures to prevent further infection.
Lastly, Delegate Marco Antonio García Ayala hailed the work of the over 225,000 workers in the Health Secretariat and applauded their professionalism and high standards. |
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