The world’s top oil and gas show will still go ahead as planned in the US next week, despite the swine flu outbreak.
The Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) is being held in Houston from Monday to Thursday.
A Mexican toddler who visited Texas with his family died on Monday in Houston, becoming the first fatality in the US.
The OTC organisers said: “The Offshore Technology Conference will go on as planned.
“We will take precautions to protect public health and encourage attendees to practise healthy habits, including frequent hand-washing.”
Tens of thousands of people from around the world are gathering in Houston for the show.
They include a delegation of more than 350 on the annual trip to the OTC organised by Munro’s Travel Group, of Aberdeen, and the Press and Journal.
Meanwhile, the oil and gas industry was drawing up emergency plans to cope with workers falling ill to make sure the country’s energy operations are not disrupted.
A spokeswoman for industry body Oil and Gas UK said: “The increase in the (World Health Organisation) alert to level five is a signal for governments to ramp up their pandemic preparations.
“In line with this heightened state of alert, oil and gas companies are again reviewing their business-continuity plans.
“Contingency plans will cover the possibility of parts of the workforce being absent due to illness and they will have planned for a number of different scenarios, with a view to maintaining essential operations.
“As an industry, we are prepared for a pandemic flu outbreak. In March 2006, the industry held a pandemic flu workshop and published guidance for companies.
“In addition, Oil and Gas UK has put in place an Offshore Pandemic Steering Group to address the issues that could be faced by the industry in the event of an outbreak of pandemic flu, with the view to ensuring the country’s continued supply of oil and gas.
“We are liaising closely with the Department for Energy and Climate Change, NHS Grampian and Grampian Police and will follow their advice and guidance.”