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Swine Flu Diagnosed at World Bank in Washington (Update2)
2009-04-30 22:46:03.656 GMT
(Adds comment from bank in third paragraph. For related
stories, see EXT3 <GO>. For a global toll {ALLX H1N1 <GO>}.)
By Tom Randall and Timothy R. Homan
April 30 (Bloomberg) -- An employee at the World Bank, the
Washington-based lender that helps nations reduce poverty, has
been preliminarily diagnosed with swine flu after traveling to
Mexico for his job.
The case is one of at least two tied to workers in the U.S.
capital. A member of a security team who took part in President
Barack Obama?s trip to Mexico became ill with flu-like symptoms,
and members of his family contracted ?probable? swine flu,
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said today.
Colleagues who had been in contact with the World Bank
employee were allowed to return to work after a finding that
?there is no longer any risk of contagion,? according to a
statement late today from the institution. ?None of his co-
workers or immediate family has shown symptoms? of the virus,
?and the infectious period has now passed,? the bank said.
The staff member was in Mexico from April 14 to April 18,
before the outbreak was reported by world health officials,
according to an e-mail to World Bank employees today from
Bernard Demure, director of the bank?s health services
department. The employee is a resident of Maryland and works in
the bank?s Latin America and Caribbean division.
Fully Recovered
The World Health Organization, a United Nations agency in
Geneva, has confirmed 257 cases in 11 countries, and hundreds of
people are being tested for the virus in New York. A patient in
Spain hadn?t traveled to Mexico and may signal the disease is
being transmitted outside North America, officials said.
?If identified early, the swine flu is a very treatable
virus and responds well to medication,? Demure said in the e-
mail. About 80 colleagues who were in contact with the man had
been asked to work from home while the bank awaited advice from
local health authorities.
The employee sought treatment upon his return from Mexico
and has fully recovered, according to the morning e-mail. He
received a preliminary diagnosis last night, and a second test
is under way by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, the bank said.
The swine flu won?t be a major issue for the world economy,
although it may harm tourism in some countries, according to the
chief economist at the International Monetary Fund, a companion
international lending agency across the street from the World
Bank.
?It may have an effect on the volume of tourism,? said
Olivier Blanchard, speaking at an event in Washington. ?This is
not going to be a major issue in economic terms,? particularly
when compared with the global financial crisis.
Swine Flu Diagnosed at World Bank in Washington (Update2)
2009-04-30 22:46:03.656 GMT
(Adds comment from bank in third paragraph. For related
stories, see EXT3 <GO>. For a global toll {ALLX H1N1 <GO>}.)
By Tom Randall and Timothy R. Homan
April 30 (Bloomberg) -- An employee at the World Bank, the
Washington-based lender that helps nations reduce poverty, has
been preliminarily diagnosed with swine flu after traveling to
Mexico for his job.
The case is one of at least two tied to workers in the U.S.
capital. A member of a security team who took part in President
Barack Obama?s trip to Mexico became ill with flu-like symptoms,
and members of his family contracted ?probable? swine flu,
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said today.
Colleagues who had been in contact with the World Bank
employee were allowed to return to work after a finding that
?there is no longer any risk of contagion,? according to a
statement late today from the institution. ?None of his co-
workers or immediate family has shown symptoms? of the virus,
?and the infectious period has now passed,? the bank said.
The staff member was in Mexico from April 14 to April 18,
before the outbreak was reported by world health officials,
according to an e-mail to World Bank employees today from
Bernard Demure, director of the bank?s health services
department. The employee is a resident of Maryland and works in
the bank?s Latin America and Caribbean division.
Fully Recovered
The World Health Organization, a United Nations agency in
Geneva, has confirmed 257 cases in 11 countries, and hundreds of
people are being tested for the virus in New York. A patient in
Spain hadn?t traveled to Mexico and may signal the disease is
being transmitted outside North America, officials said.
?If identified early, the swine flu is a very treatable
virus and responds well to medication,? Demure said in the e-
mail. About 80 colleagues who were in contact with the man had
been asked to work from home while the bank awaited advice from
local health authorities.
The employee sought treatment upon his return from Mexico
and has fully recovered, according to the morning e-mail. He
received a preliminary diagnosis last night, and a second test
is under way by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, the bank said.
The swine flu won?t be a major issue for the world economy,
although it may harm tourism in some countries, according to the
chief economist at the International Monetary Fund, a companion
international lending agency across the street from the World
Bank.
?It may have an effect on the volume of tourism,? said
Olivier Blanchard, speaking at an event in Washington. ?This is
not going to be a major issue in economic terms,? particularly
when compared with the global financial crisis.