Deadly swine flu virus in Mexico

I was flying out to Cancun in the morning for our anniversary... I can't imagine you girls leaving in the immediate future for your weddings, I would be hysterical. We are with US Airways and called thinking we were going to be able to switch our ticket to somewhere else for free but it is only those flying into Mexico City. If you are flying into Cancun, you are screwed. It is 150 per person to change, plus the additional cost of the ticket if the new one is higher.

We got a hotel on another island and are waiting it out hoping they are going to add Cancun to the list... but if not there is another $300 down the drain!

We leave for the Mayan Riviera in 6 days. Come hell or high water, I am going! I'm concerned that some of my guests might drop out or worse yet, Canada will declare some sort of ban on Mexican travel. It's all out of my control so I'm just going to pray that this situation will somehow take a turn for the better.

First, I booked my honeymoon tickets with Zoom airlines a week before it went out of business. I eventually got my money back.

Second, my resort (Dreams Tulum) was suddenly closed down for two months by Mexican officials because of environmental infractions. Luckily, it reopened in December 2008.

Third, a deadly flu epidemic strikes Mexico 1 week before I leave.

With all of this bad luck before the wedding, I think my FH and I are destined to have a VERY happy marriage.

I was watching the news today and a public health official said that she was not at all alarmed by what is going on. She said that 4000 people in Canada die a year with just seasonal flu and that it is nothing to worry about! I sure hope she's right!

I've been sitting here researching 'flu death's and apparently 63,000 people die in the US from the regular 'ol flu every year. Hopefully after the initial shock and dissapointment I can now just focus on keeping this all in perspective

FASTSTATS - Deaths and Mortality

I truly believe it will be better in a few weeks, we have made a lot of progress since the last one.

I pray the brides who are traveling in the next few days will still have the most beautiful wedding

ajs3531 -> that info puts everything in perspective thanks!

I'm worried about my mother and grandparents. We leave for Cabo in 3 weeks and my mom has a weak immune system( she's go diabetes,one kidney and had a lung infection that pretty much weakened her body a couple years ago) and my grandparents are healthy but in their late 70's. I could never forgive myself if they got the flu and passed away from it.

Hey Everyone,

I hope i can settle you guys a bit.

We are in PV right now for our honeymoon and have been here since last wednesday with all of our guests so I am hoping to provide a different perspective on this.

yes, I know I am on my honeymoon on BDW but in my defense, DH is snoring next to me now and I drank a huge cup of coffee for some reason right before bed so I can't sleep at the moment.

ANYWAY...all this news started breaking on our wedding day and we were (including all of our guests) pretty much oblivious to it all going on. It wasn't until Saturday that I caught wind of it when one of our guest's MIL left a FRANTIC phone message for them at the hotel in a total panic (her MIL was at home in the US). so bit by SLOW bit we have been getting informed of what is going on, the SLOW bit part is only because we honestly were not freaked out about it all.

So that was it for hearing about it Saturday...Sunday morning (as about 1/2 of our guests were getting ready to depart...I heard someone mention that Obama had just issued his warning or what not. Again though...NOBODY, not our guests, not other hotel guests...NOBODY has been freaking about it...everyone down here has been carrying with their vacay's as normal (again from what I can tell). So sunday mid morning, DH and I turned on CNN and watched some coverage on it...I told DH that I was not going to worry about it because well we are here already and there isjust no need to freak. So we watched the news and listened to the symptoms (to keep an eye out for them) and the precautions that we should be taking and after about 5 minutes of that we went to the pool...ALL AS NORMAL!

Honestly we only had just this one guest tell us (and all of our other guests about it) and really it was NO BIG DEAL. now mind you we are at an all inclusive nice hotel as are most of our guests, they really didn't leave (except for the wedding) to go into to town or anything, but my parents and aunts did go to downtown PV and I didn't hear any reports back of anything crazy relating to this going on.

So like I said now 1/2 of our guests are gone, most will be leaving Mexico today and we will be here until Friday. None of our guests have had any freakouts about it...and if they did DH and I were prepared to calm them.

Also for PV brides, I did just find this posted from yesterday

No Cases of Swine Flu Reported in Jalisco - Update

so this is good news too. DH and I did visit the beachtown of Bucerias yesterday and some shops were closed but I am 99% sure that was due to the fact that it was Sunday at 5 or 6pm...we did not see anything in that town where people seemed to be stressing there either...that including the locals.

Ok, I am being long winded...but basically we are in Mexico right now with this massive outbreak and really just not freaked (including our guests...they are all more worried about cervezas and margaritas! ). we will be now more cautious and wash our hands a TON more...i have been carrying sanitizer in my beach bag anyway! We may not eat some meats and be cautious with that stuff too. We have been SUPER busy with wedding stuff since we arrived and today actually starts our real honeymoon...so we will carry on as honeymooners and should something happen we will cross that bridge when and IF it does.

Again...I think others have said it on here too...it is spreading and already in the US and Canada so IMO you can get this virus really anywhere at this point!

oh also...

I read a couple of posts about some of you guys postponing your weddings...

Honestly, in my HONEST opinion...if I were you I would not do this...now again, it all is case by case but think about the hotels you are booked at, are the nice or are you right in the city? that might affect some decisions...but really if you are a week or two weeks out...I wouldn't cancel or postpone...I just thought back and put myself in your shoes...If this news broke a week before our departure...I wouldn't have changed any of my plans...seriously our wedding was just too AWESOME to have postponed it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PS - Flu outbreak or no flu outbreak...we (and all of our guests) are having an AMAZING AMAZING trip!!!!!!!!