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11/01/09 - BBC (London) - Cuba swine flu 'from US tourists'

By Michael Voss
BBC News, Havana

Cuba's former leader, Fidel Castro, has blamed the growth in swine flu on an
increase in US visitors to the island.

US President Barack Obama recently lifted restrictions on Cuban-Americans
visiting relatives on the island.

This is the the first time any Cuban official has found cause to complain
about the US president's policy of relaxing travel restrictions.

But, in an editorial published by Mr Castro in all state media, he suggests
more US visitors mean more swine flu.

The 83-year-old former president said that the H1N1 virus had spread to all
the island's provinces, especially those with a large number of relatives
living in the US.

At the same time, Fidel Castro noted, the US trade embargo prevents Cuba
from obtaining equipment and medicines needed to combat the virus.

But he stopped short of calling it a conspiracy. "I don't think, of course,
that it was the intention of the United States government," Fidel Castro
wrote.

"But this is the reality resulting from the absurd and shameful blockade,"
he added.

There have been 800 reported cases of the flu in Cuba, including seven
deaths.

All of the early cases were from foreign visitors, though not just from the
US.

The head of the World Health Organisation, Margaret Chan, was in Havana last
week and announced that Cuba should start receiving international swine flu
vaccines within a month.