Should Cruisers Worry About The Swine Flu?

Unless you have had your head up your butt in the sand for the past week or so, I am sure you have heard about the new deadly strain of flu that has been spreading through Mexico.  So far, more than 1,000 cases of the swine flu have been detected in Mexico resulting in over 80 deaths.

With more than 20 cases now being reported in the southwestern United States the government has decided to declare a public health emergency.  Luckily, as of now all of the reported cases in the United States have been mild and so far only one of those cases has resulted in hospitalization.

At the moment, neither the CDC nor the U.S. Department of State or U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Office have advised travelers to avoid Mexico.  The good news for cruisers is, so far there have been no reported cases of the swine flu in the resort areas of Mexico.  Since cruise ships typically only visit the resort areas of Mexico we have been insulated against exposure, although the area of exposure could change at any time.  While the cruise lines have not adjusted any itineraries to avoid Mexican ports they are monitoring the situation very closely.

This week I will be taking the time to write a few informative posts on what this swine flu is, who it has been infecting and precautions cruisers can take to minimize risk of contamination.

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