The European Union’s health commissioner has advised citizens to avoid nonessential travel to Mexico and the U.S. because of a swine flu outbreak.
Androulla Vassiliou's warning came as Europe detected its first swine flu case in Spain. The patient is a young man who recently returned to Spain from Mexico, where he had been studying as part of his university curriculum.
Richard Besser, acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, called that advisory unwarranted because few cases have been reported. The World Health Organization has confirmed 40 cases in the U.S.
The outbreak started in Mexico, where it has reportedly killed more than 100 people and infected more than 1,500.
Meanwhile, the U.S. has posted an outbreak notification but no Mexico travel warning.
"We have at CDC posted an outbreak notification regarding Mexico, and we're continuing to watch the situation there and evaluate,” Besser said at a news conference on Sunday. "And should it be warranted, we would make a change in that regard."
Many airlines said they were waiving penalties for changing reservations to or from Mexico, but no flights have been canceled because of the swine flu outbreak.
