Kissing banned and medics, not bouncers, stand guard at bars as flu epicentre falls eerily silent

SILENCE has fallen on Mexico City, a crowded metropolis of 20 million people, as nervous families huddle at home in one of the biggest global health scares the Central American country has seen in years.

Residents yesterday stockpiled bottled water, tinned food and DVDs, while churchgoers avoided attending Sunday services.

Police officers in blue surgical masks stood in front of the Metropolitan Cathedral. Johana Chavez, 22, turned up for her confirmation only to find a sign advising that all Masses, baptisms and confirmations were cancelled until further notice.

"We are all Catholic, so this is a big step, closing the cathedral," she said, cradling a squirming infant in her arms. "I guess I'll have to come back later."

Markets and restaurants were nearly empty. Museums closed their doors and public events were scrapped, including pop concerts and a race.

"We are trying to avoid taking the kids to public places where there are lots of people. Normally we take them to the park or a party but we want to avoid the risk of infection," said Angelina Gutierrez, a mother of two who was planning to spend most of the weekend at home in the Narvarte district.

Mexico has one million doses of antiviral medicine, easily enough to treat the cases reported so far, and the World Health Organisation (WHO) said Mexican authorities were capable of handling the outbreak.

But the lack of visitors to Chapultepec Park shows people are taking no chances. "There are much fewer people," said Oscar Campos, 19, a vendor of mangoes and orange juice who normally makes about ten sales in the first few hours of a weekend day. "We haven't sold anything."

As millions more people than usual stayed indoors, DVD rental stores did a roaring trade.

"A ton of people have been coming in. They come and rent three movies at once because they know they are going to stay in the house all weekend," said Manuel Garcia, 28, an employee at a DVD rental shop in the suburb of Polanco.

Supermarkets are also busier than usual with panic buying setting in at some stores. Marketing executive Miguel Rivera, 38, pushed a shopping trolley piled high with 16 gallons of water. "It's only a precaution in case the problem is worse than they've told us," he said.

Motorcycle couriers are also doing a brisk trade, delivering fast food to people too afraid to visit restaurants.

President Felipe Calderon has assumed new powers to isolate people infected with the deadly swine flu strain. Mexican soldiers and health workers are patrolling airports and bus stations, looking for people showing symptoms including a fever of more than 100F, body aches, coughing, sore throat, respiratory congestion and, in some cases, vomiting and diarrhoea.

The health ministry has warned people against touching or kissing while greeting each other, a difficult measure to enforce in a country where even loose acquaintances hug or give pecks on the cheek.

Parents cancelled children's parties and nightclubs and cinemas closed on Saturday night. Authorities went around bars and restaurants on Friday night, forcing out revellers and telling owners to shut down. "We closed down about 70 per cent of them in Mexico City," mayor Marcelo Ebrard said. He asked bars, clubs, restaurants and concert venues to stay closed for 10 days, but it was not clear last night if they could be legally required to remain shut.

At the bars that do remain open, instead of bouncers, medics were manning the doors to check clients' throats and take their temperatures.