Swine flu has turned into an epidemic in Mexico City where it has killed as many as 60 people and sickened 1,000 making Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials alert US citizens traveling to Mexico and recommending that they take steps to protect themselves, such as washing their hands frequently.

 

“We do not know whether this swine flu virus or some other influenza virus will lead to the next pandemic. However, scientists around the world continue to monitor the virus and take its threat seriously,” Richard E. Besser, acting director of the CDC, said.

 

He also encouraged people to pay attention to what’s going on. “The situation has been developing quickly,” and people should take measures to stop the flu from turning into a pandemic.

 

The World Health Organization on Friday dispatched a team from its Washington office to Mexico City to assist authorities, intensified efforts to detect the presence of the virus elsewhere and was mobilizing to take other steps if necessary.

 

“We are preparing for rapid containment to prevent this outbreak from spreading further,” Setiogi, a spokeswoman for the World Health Organization in Geneva, said.

 

In the US, swine flu sickened eight Americans, but none on them suffered complications. None of them had direct contact with pigs, although a patient who lives in San Diego had traveled to Mexico, according to the CDC.

 

However, officials had no found common exposure or behavior among the eight US patients. “We have not seen any linkage at all between the cases in Texas and California,” Besser said.