The artist, present at the unveiling ceremony on Sunday, said he was satisfied by the progress made by this rural community.

'A couple of months have gone by but the important thing is that this represents a plus for the community. They made a cake and I put the cherry on it,' the sculptor said.

The state government has launched a tourism-promotion programme on a website featuring places of interest in the community.

Veracruz Govornor Fidel Herrera praised the fact that the boy is well and is one of the tops in his class at school.

'The solution to the public-health problem started here,' the governor said.

Herrera also inaugurated highway works that will connect the town with the states of Puebla and Veracruz.

A total of 163 people, according to the latest figures, have died from the flu, known as swine flu, in Mexico.