Soccer player banned for swine flu related spitting

Special Report:World tackles A/H1N1 flu

MEXICO CITY, May 4 (Xinhua) -- A Mexican soccer player has been banned for spitting and blowing nasal secretions at an opponent then telling him he had swine flu.

Guadalajara defender Hector Reynoso has provisionally been suspended from all matches in the Libertadores Cup following last week's game at Everton of Chile in South America's top club competition.

The South American Football Confederation (CSF) said the length of the ban would be determined in the next 72 hours.

"At around the 90th minute of the aforementioned game, Reynoso, following an incident in the game, reacted by spitting at Everton player Sebastian Penco and then releasing nasal secretions at the face of the player," said the CSF in a statement.

Reynoso was widely quoted as saying in the media that he had told Penco he had the disease (swine flu).

Guadalajara players complained that their opponents taunted them with remarks about swine flu during the game which ended 1-1.

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Bulgaria takes precautions against swine flu

Special Report:Swine flu raises world concern

SOFIA, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Bulgaria started to take serious precautions against the spread of swine flu to the country, the National Veterinary Service (NVS) announce Monday.

The Balkan country has stepped up border control on the import of foods of animal origin from countries outside the European Union, the NVS said.

Border policemen will check for pork products the hand luggage of all arrivals from Mexico, the United States, Canada and Japan.

The import of dairy and meat products for personal consumption from countries outside the EU will be banned with the exception of imports from Andorra, Croatia, the Fafoe Islands, Greenland, Iceland, Liechetnstein, Norway, San Marino and Switzerland.

"Tightening veterinary control on the import of meat products from countries outside the EU is a precautionary measure," NVS director Yordan Voinov said. He said that no pork has been imported from countries outside the EU.

The true swine flu (H3N2 strain) exists in Bulgaria and is not a risk for human health. The viruses are destroyed during thermal treatment of the meat at temperature over 70 C. Anywhere, there is no evidence that the virus is transmitted in any way other than aerial, the NVS director is quoted as saying.

He also said that Bulgaria is awaiting the World Health Organization's position for uniform measures to curb the spreading of the disease.

The Bulgarian Health Ministry has urged Bulgarians traveling to North America to take extra precautions: seek up-to-date information on possible case of swine flu in the specific part of the U.S. they will be visiting, or get an anti-viral medicine.

Fears of swine flu drag Wall Street

NEW YORK, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Wall Street ended lower on Monday as investors are nervous that the swine flu outbreak could spread and block economic recovery.

Fears had weighed on shares of airlines and cruise lines and dragged down major indexes after U.S. health officials said on Monday that there are now up to 40 cases of swine flu in five U.S. states.

Investors also closely watched General Motors, after the company stepped up dealer shutdowns and job cuts and offered equity to bondholders under a plan to reduce liabilities by 44 billion U.S. dollars. GM soared more than 20 percent on the restructuring plan, to above 2 dollars a share.

Humana Inc., the second-biggest provider of U.S.-backed medical benefits, jumped after profit more than doubled. CVS Caremark Corp. and Walgreen Co. advanced on speculation that the spread of swine flu will boost sales of pharmaceuticals.

The Dow Jones average fell 51.29, or 0.6 percent, to 8,025.00. The Standard