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The outbreak of a new and lethal variety of "swine flu" has sent thousands of fearful Mexicans fleeing from their homes.
Nervously fingering a blue mask that covered his mouth and nose, Froylan Velarde hurriedly shoved suitcases into his rusty old estate car outside his terraced home in a middle class Mexico City suburb.
"I'm taking my family and getting out of here right now. Basically, we are running for our lives," said the 48-year old engineer, carefully keeping his distance. "There is no way I want to be in the middle of this city if thousands of people start dying."
As the Mexican government revealed that up to 68 people have perished from a new mutant strain of influenza, panic, terror and desperation surged through this capital city of 20 million.
Residents were particularly startled by warnings that those who died in their hospitals could be the first victims of a global pandemic with the potential to kill millions.
"This is highly contagious, it can be fatal and it has pandemic properties," said the Mexico's health secretary, Jose Angel Cordova, on national television, advising people to stay in their homes if possible, keep away from public places and avoid physical contact.
Mr Cordova said that 20 of the 68 deaths have been confirmed to be from the new influenza, while tests were still being conducted on the other 48 victims.
Known as "swine flu," the strain designated H1N1 actually has features of pig, avian and human viruses, Mr Cordova said.
"Those killed have not been in contact with animals," he added. "This probably started with pigs but has now mutated to pass between humans." He said the genetic code showed it originated in Eurasia and could have come into Mexico via Texas or California.
While not revealing the names of the victims, the government said they were mostly adults between 25 and 45 years old rather than from vulnerable groups of the very young and very old.
This heightens fears that the virus could be the beginning of a pandemic; most victims of the so-called Spanish flu that wiped out about 50 million people after the First World War were men and women in their prime.
In hospital wards across Mexico, more than 1,000 patients were being treated for respiratory infections that showed signs of the new strain of influenza.
The symptoms of the disease described by medical personnel were brutal. While starting like a normal flu, victims' temperatures soon shot to 39C, with muscle aches so painful they were almost paralysing.
"It's so intense it can be debilitating. It is also characterised by extremely painful headaches and eventually diarrhoea and vomiting," said Mexico City's health chief, Armando Ahued. "We are urging everyone with symptoms to go to a hospital. Above all they should not self medicate."
Patients confirmed to have the sickness were being kept in isolation and given anti viral drugs known in Mexico as oseltamivir and zanamivir.
Last week, the government had also begun a mass immunisation program but that was abandoned on Friday after it was acknowledged that the old vaccines offered no protection against the new killer virus.
In efforts to stop the disease spreading, the government has ordered all schools and universities across the urban sprawl to be shut until further notice, the first such closure since the city was shattered by an earthquake in 1985.
Museums and theatres were also shuttered, rock concerts were cancelled and the weekend game in the giant 100,000 capacity Aztec football stadium was to be played in front of empty seats.
Many residents made tough decisions for themselves and their families, deciding to stay with relatives in the countryside or take time off work so their children wouldn't be in day care.
Others kept to their regular routine, while wearing face masks being handed out by the government and carefully avoiding contact, especially from anyone who showed signs of coughing or sneezing.
"The worst thing is that you don't know who has this virus. Maybe your neighbour has got it. Maybe the guy in the corner shop or the restaurant has it," said Gisela Hernandez, a 34-year old housewife, wearing a mask as she took her rubbish out of her apartment building.
The government said that people can carry the virus for up to seven days before symptoms show.
Some people were less concerned however. Mariana Sanchez, a 20-year-old student, went to a disco on Friday night, albeit dancing with a facemask on.
"People are freaking out a bit but they will calm down," she said, laughing softly. "We have worse problems than 'flu to deal with. Like kidnappers. I would prefer to get flu than be kidnapped."
Misinformation and rumours about the disease and treatment methods also spread through the streets as fast as the virus. Hector Cruz, a 21-year-old shop worker, believed the victims were being incarcerated.
"Have you heard the latest news?" he said. "They have got them all locked up in the East Prison. Their families can't even see them." Roberto Santino, a 60-year-old building site foremen, even alleged the whole thing could be a government conspiracy.
"It's probably all just made up to keep our minds off the global recession," Santino said. "Our government has been using this tactic for years."
But others were taking no chances. Rogelio Gavira, a 40-year-old architect, left a supermarket with a huge pile of tinned and packaged food that could last weeks.
He said he had already arranged to have time off work and planned to stay firmly behind the closed doors of his house.
"I'm going to eat vitamins, sleep well and stay strong," he said, hauling a huge plastic barrel of water onto the seat of his minivan. "Maybe some of those victims were weak and underfed. But there is no way I am going to let this virus get me."
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