China quarantines New Orleans mayor

SHANGHAI, June 7 (UPI) -- China Sunday quarantined New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin and his wife to see whether the U.S. visitors were exposed to the H1N1 virus, the mayor's office said.

Nagin, his wife and a security detail member were quarantined in Shanghai as the plane in which they traveled also carried a passenger being treated for symptoms suspected to result from exposure to H1N1 virus, CNN reported, quoting the mayor's office. The three, however, were reported to be free of any symptoms.

Nagin is in China on an economic development visit, The H1N1 virus is also referred to as the swine flu virus.

"The mayor is being treated with utmost courtesy by Chinese officials," the mayor's office said.

Ceeon Quiett, a mayoral spokesman, was quoted as telling CNN Nagin was sitting beside a passenger who "exhibited the symptoms of H1N1," but Nagin showed no signs of illness and was reported to be in good spirits.

It was not known how long the group would remain under quarantine.