Mexico fights swine flu with 'pandemic potential'

4/25/2009, 10:58 p.m. EDT MARK STEVENSON The Associated Press

(AP) — MEXICO CITY (AP) ? Mexican soldiers and health workers patrolled airports and bus stations, looking for people who may be infected with a deadly new swine flu strain. Tourist markets and restaurants were nearly empty. And throngs of Mexicans ? some with just a fever ? rushed to hospitals.

With each passing day and every new death, this metropolis of 20 million people grows increasingly fearful of an outbreak that has killed as many as 81 people and prompted world health officials to warn Saturday that it could become a global epidemic.

"The people are scared," said a tired Dr. Roberto Ortiz, 59, as he leaned against an ambulance and sipped coffee oustide Hospital Obregon. "A person gets some flu symptoms or a child gets a fever and they think it is this swine flu and rush to the hospital," he said.