The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has downgraded its Travel Health Warning that recommended against non-essential travel to Mexico to a “Travel Health Precaution”. The CDC says it has been monitoring the swine flu (H1N1) outbreak in Mexico together with Mexican authorities, and now has a more comprehensive picture of the current behavior of the outbreak.

The CDC says current evidence is clear that the Mexican swine flu spread is slowing down significantly in several cities – but not all of them. Additionally, the USA, as well as some other nations, is seeing increasing numbers of human swine flu infections that are not linked to travel to Mexico – people are catching swine flu from other people in their own country or from another country that is not Mexico. The CDC also added that the risk of severe disease from this new H1N1 virus infection seems to be a great deal less that originally feared.

The CDC still recommends that travelers to Mexico take steps to protect themselves from swine flu infection. If you are at high risk of flu complications you should discuss your travel plans with your doctor.

The following people are considered at high risk of serious complications from flu (any flu):

  • Children under 5 years of age

  • People over 65 years of age

  • People under 18 years of age who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy and who might be at risk for experiencing Reye syndrome after influenza virus infection

  • Pregnant women

  • People with chronic pulmonary, cardiovascular, hepatic, hematological, neurologic, neuromuscular, or metabolic disorders

  • People who have immunosuppression (including immunosuppression caused by medications or by HIV)

  • Residents of nursing homes and other chronic-care facilities

Written by Christian Nordqvist