Amid the masks and mortality, Mexicans joke about flu

Despite the death and disruption brought by the swine flu, the virus has already inspired some Mexicans' best black humor as they try to cope with a laugh.

The first joke to do the rounds came on Monday, when a strong earthquake in the country added to fears already fueled by the disease, but without adding any casualties.

"What did Mexico City say to the swine flu? -- You have me trembling," it went.

Since then, others have emerged, as noted by a columnist, Leo Zuckermann, in the Mexican daily Excelsior on Thursday.

The concentration of deaths in the capital, whose relatively wealthier residents are often denigrated by other parts of Mexico as noisome sophisticates, prompted the jest "Oh Lord, if this is the end of the world, please first take the 'chilangos' (slang for Mexico City residents)," he wrote.

"For a normal flu, we say 'achoo', but for swine flu we say 'achoink," was another.

Zuckermann then repeated a sardonic one referring to the border between the United States and Mexico, which has long been a point of contention between the neighbors because of the constant passage of illegal Mexican migrants.

"They say in the United States they're not worried about swine flu passing over from Mexico. That's because nothing at all gets over the border. Absolutely nothing...."

The economic aspect, usually so important to Mexicans, was also raised.

To understand this joke, you have to see the play on words between "ebola" (the disease) and a conjugation of the Spanish verb "deber" (in the sense of to owe, as in to owe payment on a bill) contracted with the definite article "la":

"The swine flu virus has made us forget the 'debola' virus -- debola electricity bill, debola credit card bill...."

As the flu has spread beyond Mexico into other countries, so have the jokes.

Seen on the Internet, on a Funny Jokes blog at jokesfunny.wordpress.com with comments, were a couple, including: "I think I have swine flu -- I broke out in rashers."

One contributer jested that a British tour company was offering a dirt-cheap vacation package -- "99 pounds to Mexico, one day. Now thats not a deal to be sneezed at."

Others though, were uncomfortable with the gallows humor, with several saying they found joking about the flu epidemic, well, sick.

A more ambivalent comment came from username jinwonmi, who wrote: "i dont know if i should laugh or cry. but seriously this flu is definitely dangerous. it takes lives!"

Mexico is at the epicenter of an outbreak of H1N1, or swine flu, which has claimed nine lives and sickened hundreds, with health authorities around the world on heightened alert to tackle an imminent pandemic.