Mexican Schools Shut as Epidemic Hits 'Critical' Point

By Joshua Partlow
Washington Post Foreign Service
Tuesday, April 28, 2009

MEXICO CITY, April 27 -- Mexican officials outlined a steadily deteriorating situation Monday with the suspected death toll from swine flu rising to 149 people, prompting a decision to shut down all schools nationwide for more than a week and vastly limit public gatherings in the country that has been at the center of the international crisis. "We are in the most critical moment of this epidemic, and the number of cases, unfortunately, will continue increasing," Health Secretary José Ángel Córdova said at a news conference. "We will reinforce preventative measures and pay the necessary attention to contain it."

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