The Tourism Crisis Management Office (GGCT) of Macao has sent out an SMS alert to local residents currently traveling in Mexico, the U.S., Canada and New Zealand to be attentive to the latest news concerning Swine Influenza, and to avoid crowded public areas, according to a GGCT press statement released on Sunday.

The move came after the Chinese Embassy in Mexico issued a notice to Chinese citizens concerning Swine Influenza.

Since March 18, various districts in Mexico have reported human cases of Swine Influenza H1N1 virus, while the states of California and Texas in the U.S. have also reported several cases, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The latest figures from the WHO showed that some 882 cases have been reported in Mexico, which have led to 81 deaths so far.

In addition, the Health Bureau of Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) said it has strengthened its health monitoring in all of the SAR's border checkpoints, and will keep in close contact with public health departments of the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong and the WHO concerning the swine flu.

The Bureau also said that it has launched an emergency purchase of relevant materials to supplement its anti-epidemic supplies, and has required local hospitals and medical institutions to report suspicious flu case as precaution measures.

(Xinhua News Agency April 27, 2009)