Archive for April 30th, 2009

Costa Rica allots $5 million to fight flu

Thursday, April 30th, 2009

Costa Rica has set aside $5 million to help stave off a possible pandemic of influenza A (H1N1), a situation the government declared as a national health emergency after identifying two potential cases of infection, officials said Wednesday.

The announcement of the emergency funds came as the World Health Organization (WHO) upped its alert level from Phase 4 to 5. (For a complete explanation of the WHO’s alert phases, click here )

In a weekly televised cabinet meeting Wednesday, President Oscar Arias said Costa Rica is examining 50 suspected cases, but he called for calm from citizens and urged them to keep faith in the country’s well-regarded medical institutions. (more…)

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Coast Guard rescues mariners after SF-based boat sank off Costa Rica

Thursday, April 30th, 2009

The Coast Guard rescued a survivors of a SF-based boat that sank off Costa Rica this morning.

Stephen Szukics, 55, of Fort Worth, Texas, and James Winningham, 45, of Murphys, Calif. told the Coast Guard they were en route to Texas via the Panama Canal aboard the Black Pearl, a 55-foot boat homeported in Loch Lomond Marina, San Francisco, when the vessel sank.

The two survivors, who were found aboard a life raft 50 miles west of Costa Rica, were reported to be in good condition and will be transferred to land at the next port call for the Coast Guard Cutter Sherman, which is based in Alameda. (more…)

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