Flights from Lima to Mexico and Mexico to Lima has been suspended since 00:00am today (April 30th, 2009) according to a provision of the Department of Transport and Communications.
The Department of Health in Peru, along with the Department of Transportation and Communications has decided to suspend flights from and to Mexico, this is consistent with the WHO statement raising to five the degree of risk of pandemic influenza. Travelers coming to the country are given a card to be signed as a compromise, so that, if feel any symptoms of influenza while in the country, are obliged to report.
The Department of Health has also increased the measures taken to fight the swine flu. There is currently a national yellow alert and more hospitals are preparing to help the people infected by this virus.
The antiviral drug is restricted to be sold only under medical prescription, so that healthy people don’t generate a disruption of this product, to the detriment of those who do become infected.
To this day, around 5000 travelers has been inspected at the Jorge Chavez International Airport since the campaign to fight the swine flu started. All of them arrived in 37 airplanes and 2 cargo planes. 335 of them were crew members and the rest passengers.
From Mexico a total of 879 people (53 crew members and 836 passengers) had arrived to Peru and from the United States a total of 2,425 (137 crew members and 2288 passengers) the rest coming from Central America.
Passengers who show flu symptoms on the plane are transferred immediately to domestic flights area at the terminal where samples are taken. Subsequently, infected passengers are taken to Daniel A. Carrion Hospital.
