Numbers are starting to come in - this report (in Spanish) indicates 500 healthcare workers: http://www.elmanana.com.mx/notas.asp?id=117125
Rough translation:
500 cases reported in Mexico City
Thursday, April 23, 2009
The contagion has affected workers and employees of major public hospitals in the Capital, such as the Juarez Hospital, General Hospital, National Institute of Respiratory Diseases, and hospitals in the area of Tlalpan
MEXICO CITY .- At least 500 employees of the Health sector in Mexico City are infected with influenza virus, reported Antonio Sanchez Arriaga, general secretary of the National Independent Union of Health Workers.
The contagion has affected workers and employees of major public hospitals in the Capital, such as the Juarez Hospital, General Hospital, National Institute of Respiratory Diseases, and hospitals in the area of Tlalpan, where the National Institute Cardiology, the National Nutrition Institute and the Hospital Manuel Gea González, in addition to the Red Cross Polanco.
And this...
Canadians returning from Mexico urged to be on alert for flu-like symptoms
20 die from severe respiratory illness in Mexico
Last Updated: Thursday, April 23, 2009 | 9:30 AM ET
http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2009/04/23/respiratory-illness-flu-mexico.html
excerpt:
Canadians who have recently returned from Mexico should be on alert for flu-like symptoms that could be connected to a severe respiratory illness, according to an advisory sent to health services across Canada.
[snip]
A severe respiratory illness appears to have infected hundreds in south and central areas of Mexico, according to Mexican health officials.
The illness has killed at least 20 people in Mexico, mostly men between the ages of 25 and 44, according to a public advisory sent out by Canadian health authorities.
Hundreds of people have also reportedly been hospitalized and health-care workers have also been infected.
[snip]
Mexican health authorities said that many of those diagnosed with the illness have had to be put on ventilators.
If they are admitting 500 infected health care workers, there are FAR more, esp. ancillary personnel (housekeeping, laundry, food prep, clerical, etc.).
And if there are 500+ HCW infected, then the general pop numbers must be huge.
Mexico City has, last I heard, a population of over 13 million. I don’t want to Google it right now, but this represents a serious threat to the USA.
hmmmmm
Not the best thing to run across when you’re trying to recover from Acute Bronchitis! LOL
Prayers for all those affected.