The outbreak of influenza A/H1N1,which was believed to have killed 42 and sickened 1,070 others in Mexico, is not yet completely under control, although the number of confirmed cases is falling, President Felipe Calderon said on Wednesday.

Measures taken by health authorities had helped check the disease before its accelerated spread, said the president during a visit to the eastern state of Michoacan.

Wednesday saw some Mexican institutions return to normal operations, whose activities had been suspended due to the outbreak.

The measures by health authorities had prevented dozens of deaths and thousands of infections, Calderon said, adding that the fall in infections does not mean that the virus has disappeared, even in those states that have not seen a single case.

Calderon thanked Mexico's citizens for following government instructions like wearing face masks in public places, washing their hands frequently and avoiding large gatherings, which he said also helped check the spread of the deadly virus.

Calderon also said that the country's capacity to test flu samples has been greatly expanded to 700 a day, and the government would continue to boost this capacity. From a long-term perspective, the flu outbreak has helped the nation improve its health infrastructure and disease prevention culture, he noted.

"After this emergency, which I am sure we will overcome, Mexico will be ... stronger, more prepared, with an elevated disease prevention culture, with hygiene and health habits and practices which will help us improve conditions for our people," he said.

He also said that Mexico would continue its sanitary strategy in order to reduce the number of infections to the minimum.

(Xinhua News Agency May 7, 2009)