I spent the weekend in touch with loved ones in Mexico and Mexico City, we talked about how deserted Mexico City had become with everyone staying home as ordered to contain the swine flu outbreak. I reached everyone, but one. My dear friend’s phone was disconnected. I tried her sister - disconnected too. The economy has probably hit their families even harder since we spoke back in November. I’ll try her number again in a few days.The outbreak of the swine flu in Mexico has brought home and center the importance of information exchange between the two countries. Between U.S. and Mexico papers, there is a difference of 70 plus confirmed deaths by swine flu. Mexico media is reporting 25 confirmed deaths, while the U.S. media often says its over 100 people. Accurate, bi-national facts can be extremely helpful in keeping panic down, and give the appearance of consistent information, thereby increasing trust by citizens in both countries since most often access news bi-nationally.The value of good reporting on Mexico is evident to me again this morning. During my favorite The View program of the week, the day of Hot Topics, ABC7 reports a 6.0 Earthquake near Mexico City.My heart dropped and I scrambled to find out more facts. My cousin helped, jumping quickly on CNN to find video in Spanish. We were able to determine the earthquake was much closer to Acapulco than Mexico City, in fact almost 3 x closer. A 6.0 shaker close to Mexico City, like right outside it, is something extremely different than the deep sea earth shakers near Acapulco some 130 miles away.For people that know Mexico well, or have family there, nonspecific, and misleading information is not useful at this point, particularly in light of the urgent need to communicate across borders now.My thoughts and prayers are with friends and family in Mexico. As officials search for the cause of difference between deaths in the country, I remember clearly when living in Mexico how often I’d hear that children often died from a simple flu for lack..