Beginning May 3, 2009, the quarantine office will issue all travelers arriving from Mexico an important notice, a travel health alert notice.

All passengers traveling from Mexico or transiting through Mexico are required to read through the notice, and keep it for future reference and contact.The notice details all the possible actions that the traveler might face.If a traveler is found to display influenza-like symptoms by the quarantine officer or the physician of preventive medicine, he/she will be sent to the hospital for further examination and laboratory testing.If the traveler is tested negative, he/she can just return home.If, however, the traveler is tested positive, he/she will be detained in the hospital for further treatment.If a traveler is found to display no influenza-like symptoms, he/she will be required to conduct self-health management for a period of seven days.

The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) pointed out that besides requiring all travelers to declare their travel history, the National Immigration Agency has been asked to reinforce quarantine measures imposed on travelers holding a Mexican passport. In addition, CECC also stated that subjecting travelers holding a Mexican passport to a compulsory, seven-day quarantine is neither in line with the spirit of the International Health Regulations (IHR) nor a professional advice recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).The IHR has clearly stated that the implementation of the regulations is meant to prevent the international spread of disease while minimizing unnecessary interference with international traffic and trade.Therefore, extreme and unnecessary practices are not encouraged.