Travel warning downgraded

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the State Department lifted their Mexico travel alerts May 18, downgrading the warning against non-essential travel to Travel Health Precaution for Mexico.

“CDC has been monitoring the ongoing outbreak of novel H1N1 flu in Mexico and, with the assistance of the Mexican authorities, has obtained a more complete picture of the outbreak,” said the CDC on its Web site. “There is evidence that the Mexican outbreak is slowing down in many cities.”

The announcement also cited the fact that there is evidence that an increasing number of H1N1 cases (commonly referred to as swine flu) in the U.S. and other countries have proven to not be associated with travel to Mexico and that the risk of severe disease from the virus infection appears to be less than originally thought.

The CDC has lifted its recommendation that U.S. travelers avoid travel to Mexico, but it still advises Mexico travelers to take steps to protect themselves from the H1N1 flu.