BB FANS

Swine flu hotel guests frustrated

Travellers in a Hong Kong hotel have been speaking of their frustration and boredom as they endure a week-long quarantine imposed as a precaution against swine flu.

Guests have complained about a monotonous diet of "rice, rice or more rice", and some have resorted to using the stairs for exercise.

Amid global interest in the swine flu outbreak - which has its epicentre in Mexico and has spread to at least 20 countries - the Metropark Hotel has become something of a tourist and media attraction.

Passers-by have been seen taking photos of officials in protective white clothing, while guests have been giving interviews to the press from their rooms.

BBC

Mexico H1N1 Death Toll Jumps Over 40

Mexican health officials say that testing of backlogged cases has increased the confirmed H1N1 (swine) flu death toll from 31 to 42. That includes three new deaths in the past two days.

Officials also have confirmed 1,070 other cases of infection.

Health Secretary Jose Cordova says most of the new confirmations came from older cases.

The news came Wednesday as Mexico ended a five-day, government-ordered shutdown designed to contain the virus.

Also, dozens of Mexican nationals who were quarantined at hospitals and hotels in China despite showing no symptoms of swine flu arrived home early Wednesday on a government-chartered jet.

CBS News

Further swine flu cases confirmed

Nine new cases of swine flu have been confirmed - eight in England and one in Scotland - bringing the UK total to 48.

The English cases involve two adults and six children. One adult is from the East Midlands and the other cases are all in London.

One of the adult cases is associated with travel to Mexico, while the children attended the same school.

A 19-year-old man from Greenock is being treated in hospital in Glasgow after testing positive for the virus.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) confirmed that the children were from a London school which has closed because several pupils already have the illness.

BBC

Deborah Orr: The lessons I've learned from a week as a swine flu parent
Independent

Probable swine-flu case on Alaska cruise

Federal and state health officials say a crew member aboard a cruise ship traveling in Alaska waters is recovering from a probable infection of swine flu.

Testing was performed at the Washington State Public Health Laboratory because the crew member became ill while the Serenade of the Seas, a Royal Caribbean ship, was in the Washington area.

seattletimes

Brits In Egypt Held At Gunpoint Over Flu

A family-of-six have told of their holiday hell after being held in quarantine by armed guards amid swine flu panic in Egypt.

Stewart Harbut, his pregnant wife Sasha, and their four young children claim they were "pinned down" at Sharm El Shiek International Hospital while doctors forced them to give swabs.

The family - who spent £6,000 on the First Choice break - had earlier been bundled into the back of van and driven from Sharm El Shiek airport to the hospital with a full police escort.

When Mr Harbut, an engineer, tried to leave the hospital after being kept in a "filthy" isolation unit overnight he was confronted by three armed guards who blocked his way.

Tests eventually confirmed that none of the family had the infection.


Sky News