Asian Nations Alert to Swine Flu Dangers

Some countries were checking passengers and pork products from Mexico. The Philippines went so far as to say it might consider quarantining passengers with fevers who have visited Mexico.

Tokyo's Narita airport officials installed a device at the arrival gate for flights from Mexico to measure their temperatures as they arrived.

Now that's verging on panic.

Meanwhile, China said that anyone experiencing flu-like symptoms within two weeks of arriving back from swine-flu affected areas were required to report to authorities.

At this point, at least 81 people have died from a flu-like illness in Mexico, according to the WHO, some of whichwere confirmed to have been infected with a version of the A/H1N1 flu virus that is a unique combination of avian, swine and human flu viruses.

In the U.S., the number of people infected has risen to 11, but no deaths, although at least two were confirmed as hospitalized. In Mexico City, residents were warned to stay indoors, or to wear surgical masks outdoors.

WHO Director-General Margaret Chan said:

"It would be prudent for health officials within countries to be alert to outbreaks of influenza-like illness or pneumonia, especially if these occur in months outside the usual peak influenza season.

"Another important signal is excess cases of severe or fatal flu-like illness in groups other than young children and the elderly, who are usually at highest risk during normal seasonal flu. The situation is evolving quickly."

As I noted, Asia ia already used to concerns over the avian flu, the the H5N1 virus, which, according to the WHO, has killed at least 257 people gloally since late 2003.