China Quarantines New Orleans Mayor, Wife

(AP)  Chinese authorities have quarantined New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin and his wife in a Shanghai hotel after a passenger on their flight exhibited flu-like symptoms.

Nagin's office said the couple and a security guard were quarantined Sunday as a precaution and were exhibiting no swine flu symptoms.

Nagin's spokeswoman Ceeon Quiett said the three are "being treated with utmost courtesy by Chinese officials," The Times-Picayune newspaper reported Monday.

Nagin "is feeling well and continues to be in communication with his staff," according to Quiett. She did not know how long they would be quarantined.

Nagin left Friday for an economic development trip. He was to travel next to Australia, where he'd planned to speak on climate change and sustainable building.

China has been enforcing quarantines and temperature checks at airports throughout the country to prevent the virus from spreading.

The World Health Organization said it has spread to 69 countries and infected nearly 22,000 people. Most of the cases have been mild, although 126 people have died as a result of the disease.

Quiett said a passenger on Nagin's flight to China had "signs and symptoms of an influenza-like illness suspected to be of the H1N1 subtype." People sitting near that passenger on the flight from Newark, New Jersey, were quarantined. There was no word on what flight it was or how many people were aboard.

Quiett said Nagin and his wife have not been tested for swine flu.

Three other city employees on the trip were not sitting close enough to the passenger to be quarantined, Quiett said.

[MPHgrad]

The most important information from this article is:

"He was to travel next to Australia, where he'd planned to speak on climate change and sustainable building."

Seriously? You must be kidding me, from the city of despair and crime and he is to be a speaker on anything other than how to run a city into the ground??

[albert571]

They got him they should keep him and his wife.He's NOT wanted back here !! Lock them both up and throw away the key.

[jodyrae4]

keep him China

[tomadams99]

They can keep the screwball.

[andylance1]

This is just karma in action. A few years ago western nations criticized China for not doing enough about bird flu. Now they are throwing Americans and Mexicans into quarantine detention. They are doing something now.

Also, this may be karma for Mayor Ray Nagin for not evacuating the poor people of New Orleans prior to Hurricane Katrina on school buses. He could have saved hundreds of lives.

[stn_sage]

Yeah, they're probably turning him into the next 'Manchurian Candidate'!

[cajundweeb]

Some people here in Da Big Easy are joking that the Chinese should keep C-Ray over there for a few months so things could be better here. Hmmmmm......THAT would be a stretch!!

[gunownerdan]

Can he stay there?
He will fit right in with the Chinese leadership!

[factsearcher]

I just hope we didnt pay for his wife's trip...cause it's going to be a heavy bill until they are cleared to come back!!!!!