Mexico re-emerges; some keep masks on

MEXICO CITY — Mexico emerged from its swine flu isolation Tuesday as thousands of newspaper vendors, salesmen hawking trinkets and even panhandlers dropped their protective masks and joined the familiar din of traffic horns and blaring music.

Mexico’s Health Department later announced three more confirmed deaths, raising the country’s total to 29.

Across Mexico, people were eagerly anticipating this week’s reopening of businesses, restaurants, schools and parks, after a five-day furlough.

High schools and universities were being scrubbed down to reopen Thursday. Younger children return on Monday.

"We have a lot of confidence nothing is going to happen,” said Irineo Moreno Gonzales, 54, a guard who kept takeout customers to four at a usually crowded Starbucks. "Mexicans have the same spirit we’ve always had. We’re ready to move forward.”

Costs hit $2.2 billion

Mexico’s government imposed the shutdown to curb the flu’s spread. Mexico City residents overwhelmingly complied, and officials cautiously have hailed the drastic experiment as a success.

With 942 people sick at last count, celebrations of Cinco de Mayo were banned, and politicians’ ceremonies were subdued.

Mexican Finance Secretary Agustin Carstens unveiled plans Tuesday to stimulate key industries and fight foreign bans on Mexican pork products.

Carstens said the outbreak cost Mexico’s economy at least $2.2 billion, and he announced a $1.3 billion stimulus package, mostly for tourism and small businesses.