Mexico to Shut Down Government Over Swine Flu

Additionally, nonessential private businesses must also close.

Health Secretary Jose Cordova made the announcement. Nonessential federal government offices will be closed from May 1st - 5th. Friday is a national holiday in Mexico; many government offices are closed anyway.

Cordova added that all nonessential private businesses must also close for that period. Essential services like transportation, supermarkets, trash collection, and hospitals will remain open.

In Mexico, the death toll attributable to the swine flu is believed to be 160. There has only been one death outside of Mexico, a toddler in Texas who was actually a Mexican vacationer.

Besides the deaths, the swine flu is estimated to have sickened 2,498 people across Mexico.

South Korea, Peru, Germany and Austria became the latest countries to report swine flu infections Wednesday. Cases have already been confirmed in Canada, Britain, Israel, New Zealand, the U.S. and Spain.

Worse, Spain has reported the first case in Europe of swine flu in a person who had not been to Mexico.