New York Times, 5/22/2009
The Japanese authorities began to ease measures aimed at controlling the spread of swine flu on Friday, saying the virus was not as lethal as feared. Mexico City, meanwhile, lifted all of its flu restrictions and lowered its alert level, though federal health authorities still recommended that Mexicans continue to avoid the customary greeting of a handshake and kiss.
Health authorities worldwide have been struggling to fine-tune prevention measures for the new strain of the Influenza A(H1N1) virus, which spreads rapidly but causes mostly mild illness. While the epidemic in Mexico, the epicenter of the original outbreak in April, appears to be winding down, cases are continuing to rise elsewhere, including in the United States, Asia, South America, Europe and Australia.
Mexico Institute 