ASSOCIATED PRESS
TESTING: Microbiologist Gilbert Ortiz handles samples while testing for the flu at the Houston Department of Health and Human Services. The first death in the U.S. was reported in Texas.UPDATED:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday reported 109 confirmed swine-flu cases in 11 U.S. states, compared with 91 the day before.
Dr. Richard E. Besser, the agency’s acting director, said that the most recent case of somebody contracting the H1N1 virus was Sunday, most of the 109 people fell on April 18 and six people have been hospitalized.
Dr. Besser reported no additional deaths in the United States since the toddler from Mexico died Monday in Houston.
Arizona has one confirmed case, California has 14, Indiana has one, Kansas has two, Massachusetts has two, Michigan has one, Nevada has one, New York has 50, Ohio has one, South Carolina has 10 and Texas has 26.
The World Bank told employees to work from home on Thursday after an employee in Washington was preliminarily diagnosed with the virus, according to the Associated Press, and Maryland officials are reporting six probable cases.
RELATED STORY: Suspected swine flu at World Bank in D.C.
On Wednesday the World Health Organization (WHO) raised the threat level of the H1N1 swine flu outbreak to an imminent risk of pandemic.
“It’s clear that the virus is spreading, and we don’t see any evidence of this slowing down at this point,” said Dr. Keiji Fukuda, WHO assistant director-general.
Raising the threat level from Phase 4 to Phase 5 occurs when a pandemic is imminent, and it signals that time is running short for affected countries to get prepared for widespread infections. The highest level, Phase 6, declares a pandemic.
President Obama said the government is continuing to closely monitor the emerging cases of the virus across the nation, calling it a very serious situation and saying it is a “cause for deep concern but not panic.”
Mr. Obama said that after consulting with public health officials and following their recommendations, he has decided not to close the border with Mexico at this time.
The WHO announcement came just hours after lawmakers on Capitol Hill squared off against top Obama administration officials and demanded tougher inspections at airports and Mexican ports to detect travelers carrying the virus and trying to enter the United States.
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