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16 May 2009 - CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO -- As the media firestorm surrounding last month’s outbreak of the A(H1N1) virus, better known as the swine flu, winds down, many are still left wondering whether travel to Mexican resort towns such as Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo is safe. The answer being given by both Mexican and American officials, multiple media outlets, area doctors, and the World Health Organization is a resounding yes.
Although the number of confirmed H1N1 cases has grown in recent weeks—including Los Cabos’ only confirmed case, a woman who tested positive for the virus and was successfully treated in San José del Cabo—Health Secretary José Angel Córdova Villalobos says there is no reason for concern. In reality, he says, the more cases the government is able to confirm, the less dangerous the virus appears to be. (United States Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano maintains the H1N1 virus is no more dangerous than the traditional flu, a sentiment echoed by many news outlets and medical experts.) And Córdova Villalobos adds that 92 percent of the people affected or killed in México exhibited symptoms “before we knew that we were fighting against a new germ” or how to treat it. In short, Córdova Villalobos says, “Tourist destinations are safe in México … People can come back with complete peace of mind. [The virus] is being monitored very closely.”
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About half of México’s confirmed H1N1 cases appeared in México City, but the government has not limited its efforts to that region. Following the flu outbreak, México launched a national, multipronged attack that focused on early detection, treatment, and prevention through education. The successful campaign called for the temporary closing of schools nationwide, more extensive closures in areas like México City, and careful screening at transportation depots.
At the state level, Baja California Sur Governor Narciso Agúndez has said, “Our state government will spare no effort or expense to deal with any contingency that might endanger the health of our residents and visitors.” In addition, the state is working to create a diagnostic center within the Public Health Clinical Laboratory that would allow for the rapid detection and treatment of the virus. And at the international airport located near San José del Cabo, medical personnel are screening both arriving and departing travelers.
Baja California Sur, which encompasses Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo (collectively known as Los Cabos), was believed to be swine flu free until last week, when Córdova Villalobos announced that there had been a single case registered at the end of April that tested positive for the virus. In this instance, the patient was treated and is now in good health. Those in her immediate circle, including some who were showing flu-like symptoms, also were tested. Their results returned negative for the H1N1 virus. It is noteworthy to mention that while the Mexican government has authenticated this case, the stricter World Health Organization, which has closely monitored the virus since its initial eruption, is yet to do so.
Doctors across Los Cabos’ large network of medical health professionals say travelers should not be scared off by the state’s single H1N1 case. “She was immediately identified as potentially having the [swine] flu, treated, and sent home,” says Dr. Lenin Paul Gaxiola Leyva, a general practitioner with the Centro Médico Cabo San Lucas. “Everything is OK, there were no complications,” adds Gaxiola Leyva, who says vacationers should take comfort in how quickly the patient was identified and treated.
Dr. James McAllister, a board-certified doctor who works with many area hotels and provides house calls, says the media overreacted to the threat of the H1N1 virus from the very beginning, but that at least locally “calmer heads are beginning to prevail…Just like everywhere else, we have the flu every year. Thirty-five thousand people die from the flu every year in the United States. People latched on to [the swine flu] because it’s new, but their concerns were unfounded.”
And according to the authoritative World Health Organization, potential travelers should not abandon plans to visit México: “Limiting travel or imposing travel restrictions would have very little effect on stopping the virus from spreading, but would be highly disruptive to the global community.” The Mexican economy has already taken a huge financial hit because of the flu outbreak, which could end up costing the nation as much as $4 billion this year. Because of this, many tourism-related businesses, including hotels and airlines, are offering amazing deals at a level rarely seen in an effort to bring travelers back to the Baja.
So, while many have canceled their plans to visit Los Cabos, it is actually an ideal time to plan your vacation. The weather is idyllic, the atmosphere relaxed, and the bargains simply unbeatable. As long as travelers employ those lessons their mothers taught them while growing up—like washing your hands and covering your mouth when you cough—and practice common sense, they should be able to take advantage of the current deals and expect a fantastic, safe, and healthy trip to Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo in the Los Cabos region of Baja California Sur.
By Ashley Alvarado - 16 May 2009 - www.LosCabosGuide.com
For more information on the A(H1N1) virus, please visit our Swine Flu updates page with more links.
With all the attention in the media, we are tying to focus on reports that impact the Los Cabos area, or that provide beneficial facts and reports about the swine flu outbreak.
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