Continental cuts flights to Mexico as swine flu cases increase

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama voiced hope Friday that the swine flu virus will run its course “like ordinary flus” as officials reported more than two dozen new cases and scores more schools shut down.

Questions unanswered or unanswerable: 6 things we still don’t know about swine flu

Government officials, public health experts and business leaders have faced a lot of questions about swine flu this week, and three words keep popping up in their answers: “We don’t know.”

Chinese government says growing chance of swine flu outbreak in China

BEIJING — Chances are growing that the swine flu virus spreading around the world will enter mainland China, the country’s health minister said Friday, as he urged the country to prepare for an outbreak.

AP Enterprise: Most states have fewer flu drugs on hand than feds recommend

BALTIMORE — With a swine flu outbreak spreading across the nation, more than half the states have yet to stockpile the number of flu-treatment doses recommended by the federal government, an Associated Press survey found.

As swine flu cases exceed 100 in US, more schools close; vaccine could be ready by fall

WASHINGTON — U.S. authorities are pledging to eventually produce enough swine flu vaccine for everyone but the shots couldn’t begin until fall at the earliest.

CDC head says no need for the public to avoid trains, airplanes, other transportation modes

WASHINGTON — The head of the federal agency that keeps track of new swine flu cases says there is “no increased risk” of infection for people using public transportation.

Swine flu prompts NZ to discourage risky, but traditional, practices, including Maori greeting

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — The Roman Catholic Church in New Zealand instructed priests Friday not to place communion wafers in worshippers’ mouths because of swine flu risks, and indigenous Maori were urged to stop using an ancient greeting that brings people nose-to-nose.

As swine flu cases exceed 100 in US, more schools close; vaccine promised by fall, if needed

WASHINGTON — U.S. authorities are pledging to eventually produce enough swine flu vaccine for everyone but the shots couldn’t begin until fall at the earliest.

Swine flu jitters drive needless ER visits; docs worry care for truly sick could be affected

LOS ANGELES — Concerns about a possible pandemic have sent people streaming into crowded emergency rooms and walk-in clinics — not with swine flu, but the swine flu jitters.

Swine flu cases exceed 100 as more schools close, vaccine promised by fall, if needed

WASHINGTON — U.S. authorities are pledging to eventually produce enough swine flu vaccine for everyone but the shots couldn’t begin until fall at the earliest.

AP Interview: Mexico chief epidemiologist says WHO slow to react to epidemic

MEXICO CITY — A top Mexican medical officer accused the World Health Organization of being slow to respond to the country’s warning about a health crisis that turned into a global swine flu scare. The WHO disputed the claim.

Misconceptions about swine flu spreading like a virus; even Paris Hilton is mixed up about it

CHICAGO — Paris Hilton says “I don’t eat that” when asked about swine flu in an online video. She’s not the only one confused about the outbreak.

Mexico’s top epidemiologist calls WHO’s reaction to epidemic slow, wants probe

MEXICO CITY — Mexico’s top epidemiologist says the World Health Organization was slow to react to an outbreak of atypical pneumonia that grew into the swine flu epidemic, and wants a probe.

New Zealand minister self-quarantines amid swine flu scare; Australia urges food stockpiling

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — A New Zealand government minister went into self-imposed isolation Friday after coming down with flu symptoms, as Australian health officials recommended people stockpile food in case a swine flu pandemic forces them to stay at home.

Mexico’s top medical officer optimistic swine flu has slowed, but WHO cautions outbreak

MEXICO CITY — Mexico’s top medical officer voiced optimism Thursday that swine flu has slowed in the nation hardest hit by the virus, but the World Health Organization cautioned there is no evidence the worst of the global outbreak is over.

AP Interview: Mexico health chief says swine flu toll may drop; new cases in US, Europe

MEXICO CITY — Mexico’s top medical officer voiced optimism Thursday that swine flu has slowed in the nation hardest hit by the virus, but the World Health Organization cautioned there is no evidence the worst of the global outbreak is over.

From Alabama to New York, swine flu prompts cancellations and rescheduling of sports events

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The swine flu outbreak has forced the cancellation or postponement of sporting events across the country, affecting everything from prep contests in Texas and Alabama to a college baseball road trip in Delaware.

Swine flu name change? Flu experts say virus genes are largely pig

WASHINGTON — No matter what you call it, leading experts say the virus that is scaring the world is pretty much all pig. So while the U.S. government and now the World Health Organization are taking the swine out of “swine flu,” the experts who track the genetic heritage of the virus say this: If it is genetically mostly porcine and its parents are pig viruses, it smells like swine flu to them.

US swine flu cases pass 100 but still mostly mild; more schools close to stem spread

WASHINGTON — Hundreds of schools scattered around the country closed as the nation’s swine flu caseload passed 100 Thursday, and U.S. authorities said they eventually could produce enough vaccine for everyone if necessary — but that shots couldn’t begin until fall at the earliest.

Worldwide swine flu concerns put spotlight on WHO chief Margaret Chan

GENEVA — World Health Organization chief Dr. Margaret Chan has earned a reputation for ruthlessness when it comes to battling viruses.

Swine flu may put damper on immigration rallies; organizers say they’ll heed health officials

CHICAGO — The timing is not the best. Immigration-rights rallies are set for Friday as health officials try to clamp down on a swine flu epidemic with roots in the same country as many of the expected demonstrators: Mexico.

Number of flu closings triples to nearly 300, still a small share of schools nationwide

WASHINGTON — Education officials say nearly 300 schools around the country have closed because of concerns about spreading swine flu — and more are expected to.

US swine flu cases pass 100, reach 15 states, with possible infection of Energy Dept aide

WASHINGTON — Health officials on Thursday stressed that people with flu-like symptoms should stay off public transportation to avoid spreading the virus but said everyone else needs only to follow commonsense precautions, as the nation’s swine flu cases passed 100, reaching 16 states and possibly an aide in President Barack Obama’s administration.

Swine flu cases appear to be stabilizing in Mexico, health chief says; new cases in US, Europe

MEXICO CITY — Mexico’s top health official said Thursday the number of new swine flu cases is stabilizing in the nation at the epicenter of the outbreak. Health secretary Jose Angel Cordova told a news conference he hoped the trend will continue and that a vaccine would be available in six months. European health ministers said they would speed efforts to develop such a vaccine.

Flu outbreak leads to six-figure deal for book on viruses

NEW YORK — The swine flu outbreak has boosted sales for an acclaimed history of the 1918 pandemic, and helped biologist Nathan Wolfe get a six-figure deal for a book about viruses.

Some steps in US pandemic plan being used by administration

WASHINGTON — The U.S. is following a playbook in battling the new swine flu, a federal pandemic preparedness plan prepared in 2005.

Definitions of the World Health Organization’s pandemic alert phases

Under the World Health Organization’s alert system on a developing flu pandemic, phase 6 is the highest level. At the moment, the world has risen to phase 5 from phase 3 since the outbreak of swine flu in Mexico last week. Here’s what the phases mean:

2 Mexico soccer clubs _ Chivas and San Luis _ moving Copa Libertadores games to Bogota

MEXICO CITY — Mexican soccer clubs Chivas and San Luis will be playing upcoming Copa Libertadores matches in Colombia, a move aimed at helping slow the swine flu outbreak in Mexico.

EU health ministers reject travel ban against Mexico; Swine flu hits 2 new EU nations

LUXEMBOURG — EU nations rejected a French proposal to ban flights going to Mexico at emergency health talks Thursday as a way to curb the spread of swine flu in Europe.

Official: Toddler who died of swine flu visited crowded Houston mall before hospitalization

McALLEN, Texas — A Mexico City toddler who became the first swine-flu death on U.S. soil spent a day with his family shopping at a huge Houston indoor mall the day before he began to show symptoms.