Hotel Lawyer with breaking concerns over a flu pandemic: International fears of a flu pandemic rose as the death toll from swine flu in Mexico rose to 149.

Cases have also been reported in the United States, Canada, Spain and New Zealand. What does this mean for the lodging industry and the economy?

It is too early to know what this all means.

On Sunday, Hong Kong called for a travel ban on trips to Mexico and U.S. cities with confirmed cases of flu. Today, U.S. officials advised Americans against most travel to Mexico, and European Union health officials have called for a ban on all nonessential travel to the U.S. and Mexico.

Dr. Richard Besser, acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, called the advisory against traveling to the United States unwarranted, saying that only a small number of cases had been diagnosed in the country, just one of which required hospitalization.

Update on the flu epidemic

As of Monday afternoon, April 27, 2009:

In Mexico: 149 deaths attributed to flu, 1,600 people sickened

In the U.S.: 40 confirmed cases with outbreaks in California, New York, Texas, Ohio

Confirmed or suspected cases now in Canada, France, New Zealand, Spain