In case you haven’t heard this by now…
By Sean Mattson PANAMA CITY, May 1 (Reuters) – Panamanian police detained an American traveler on Friday who left a hospital after health workers suspected he could have a new flu virus that is spreading quickly around the world, a hospital official said. The H1N1 swine flu virus has killed up to 177 people, almost all in Mexico. Worldwide, 13 countries have confirmed cases, though Panama is not among them. The unidentified American man flew to Panama City from Canada and upon arrival was flagged by health officials as having flu symptoms. He was sent to a local hospital early Friday morning, said the hospital’s director Gerardo Victoria. Staff conducted a preliminary screening for influenza, but the man left the hospital before the test results came back. Police picked him up at his hotel around mid-day on Friday, Victoria said. “I think he got the message (that he has to stay at the hospital),” Victoria said, saying doctors want to keep the man under observation until they can rule out swine flu. Almost all infections outside Mexico have been mild, and only a handful of patients have required hospital treatment. Victoria said his hospital has received about 10 people suspected of having swine flu since it was first reported last week. Tests for the new virus have come back negative so far. The latest countries to report new infections were Denmark and Hong Kong — where authorities sealed off a hotel where a 25-year-old Mexican visitor had been staying. He became the first verified case in Asia. (Writing by Jason Lange, editing by Alan Elsner)
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