Travel industry hit badly
After a dismal 2008, the travel and hospitality industry is set to receive yet another setback, this time due to the outbreak of swine flu, which may curb inbound and outbound tourist movement.
The flu spreads among humans through contact with infected pigs.
In Mexico, which reported the outbreak first, the death toll has mounted to more than 150. Several Asian countries, including Japan and Singapore, and Australia have started screening travellers, while Spain reported its first case of the influenza on Monday, prompting fears of a pandemic in Europe.
Six people in Canada have contracted swine flu and more cases are likely. Barack Obama's administration in the United States has declared swine flu a public health emergency after 20 people contracted the disease.
Image: An unusually few number of tourists are seen visiting India's the popular Taj Mahal monument in Agra. | Photograph: Stringer/Reuters
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