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Mexico's response to the flu scare was praised by the World Health Organization (WHO) and others, during a two-day summit of health ministers and officials in Cancun, near Cozumel, which finished on Thursday.

Head of WHO, Margaret Chan, said, "Mexico gave the world an early warning, and it also gave the world a model of rapid and transparent reporting, aggressive control measures, and generous sharing of data and samples".

The AP news agency said, "Mexico ... deserves the whole world's thanks for its forceful, costly and very public response, which included a near-total shutdown of the nation's public life that cost the country $3.5 billion."

Nancy Cox, head of the flu division of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said, "They were so courageous to do what they did [in Mexico]. It impressed the entire world."

The Mexican President, Felipe Calderón, took the opportunity to call on the international community to "close ranks" and come together to produce a vaccination that everyone can have access to, especially in less developed countries.

For more news from Cancun and the mainland near Cozumel visit our Riviera Maya News section.