Mexico restaurants reopen
May 6 2009




Offices and restaurants in Mexico were to re-open on Wednesday after a week-long shutdown of many public activities. --PHOTO: ASSOCIATED PRESS








MEXICO CITY - OFFICES and restaurants in Mexico were to reopen on Wednesday after a week-long shutdown of many public activities that officials say greatly curbed a swine flu epidemic now on the wane.
Although the toll from the outbreak of the new A(H1N1) virus continued to creep up each day, and currently stood at 29 dead and more than 913 infected, authorities say the epidemic peaked last week and was now under control.

The lifting of the shutdown was to be progressive over coming days. On Thursday, high schools and universities were to open, to be followed by primary schools and kindergartens next Monday.

There was no word yet, however, when cinemas, theaters and nightclubs in the capital Mexico City would be permitted to again open their doors.

Despite the efforts to restore normal life to Mexico City and the rest of the country, it was clear the economic damage dealt to Mexico by the disease would be felt for some time to come.

Finance Minister Agustin Carstens told reporters on Tuesday that the nationwide shutdown and the devastation to the tourism industry cost the economy around US$2.3 billion (S$3.4 billion), or 'close to 0.3 per cent' of gross domestic product.

He said the government was to roll out a fiscal stimulus package to mitigate the damage that would include a US$1.3 billion injection into the economy.

A marketing campaign to lure back tourists and US$380 million in credits for companies and subsidies would also be launched.

Hotels in Mexico City are down to 10 per cent occupancy, and foreign visitors have been absent from the city centre and from tourist draws, such as Mexico's famed Aztec pyramids, which were declared off-limits. -- AFP