Swine flu rules lifted in Mexico City

MEXICO CITY, May 22 (UPI) -- Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard said he has lifted all restrictions put into place as a result of the swine flu outbreak in Mexico.

Ebrard said with no new H1N1 virus cases appearing in the Mexican capital during the last week, there is no need to take precautions such as wearing surgical masks in public, the BBC said Friday.

"We can calm down now," the mayor said.

"Now you can come to the city without any risk," he added.

Authorities in Mexico City, which faced numerous difficulties during the heart of the swine flu outbreak, have also lowered the city's alert system to its lowest level possible.

To date, the swine flu outbreak in Mexico has tallied nearly 4,000 cases and has been blamed for 78 deaths.

The Guardian (Britain) said, according to the World Health Organization, 86 deaths and 11,168 cases have been attributed to swine flu in 42 counties worldwide.

Those tallies included all cases in those countries since the potentially deadly influenza strain first appeared in Mexico in April.