WASHINGTON (CNN) - President Barack Obama said Friday that while the swine flu virus does not appear to be as dangerous as initially thought, Americans should not let down their guard.
"The (H1N1) virus may not have been as virulent as we once feared, but we're not out of the woods yet," Obama said.
The president said Americans should continue to take basic precautions such as frequently washing their hands. He also said the country should prepare for a particularly tough flu season this fall.
Obama made his remarks during a brief surprise appearance at a town hall-style event for the Latino community on the H1N1 virus, as swine flu is officially called. The event, conducted mostly in Spanish, was hosted by Labor Secretary Hilda Solis.
The number of confirmed H1N1 flu cases in the United States has nearly doubled to 1,639 cases in 43 states over the last day, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on its Web site Friday.
Thursday, the CDC reported it had confirmed 896 cases in 41 states.
Two people have died in the United States in connection with the virus.
From CNN Politics
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I'm with the ones who say this virus is artificial. It was manufactured by the Obamabots and ACORN in their secret laboratory and spread to make us live in fear. You watch, they're going to tell us next week that there is an oral vaccine but when you get to your doctors office it will be in the form of kool aid. If you drink it you will turn into an obamabot too!!! They're trying to trick us. Have a nice day.
More good advice. Measured and honest.
Can't wait to hear the right slam him for this too!
Pitiful bunch of 21%rs.
This administration totally botched the handeling of this. People talk about the "fear mongering" of the Bush administration, this was just as bad.
Biden basically told people to lock themselves in their homes, before his words were "clarified" by Gibbs.
Terrible job. 36,000 people die of the standard influenza strain each year. 1 US fatality in 3 weeks with swine flu. If you average it out, standard influenza v. swine flu death ratio is 2076:1.
Ahhh...
The new party of fear
Here he goes again with the Swine Flu stuff. Still taking attention off what he hasn't done, except put us in a downward spin. If we're lucky and with the grace of God, hopefully we will be able to pull ourselves out of this mess.
Ummm yah...just got a call from Rahm...Barry hasn't gotten enough mileage out of the crisis so he'd better stoke the Swine Flu a bit more while he sneaks more government in that back door.
Unfortunately, a lot of people don't use common sense when it comes to washing hands. In the past two weeks alone I've witnessed a few co-workers leave the restroom without washing their hands! ewwww!
We have yet to hear a clear answer on swine flu from the White House: Is it a problem that we should be worried about or not?
Obama: swine flu danger not over yet
Translation: We haven't found a way yet to pull a fast one on you concerning nationalized health care. give me a few days.
It finally happened, it took over 100 days but he finally said something that was the truth and sensible.
Though Obama isn't concerned about this anymore, it is interesting to note that the US now has more cases than any other country in the world.
Will someone wake up the president?
The good news is that it's on downward spiral, at least seemingly.
He's right. This outbreak might just be a forewarning of an active flu season next winter. People should take precautionary steps by keeping little bottles of hand sanitizers with them especially if they are travelling on subways. The office is another place where germs lurk. PCs and telephones which have multiple users are perfect breeding ground. Some NYC office buildings now have hand sanitizers posted along corridors – not just in rest rooms. This is something that should be considered for all government offices, especially those serving the public in person.
when they start posting numbers again and the numbers start coming down, that is the beginning of the end
I bet Donald Rumsfeld is crossing his fingers for an outbreak.(Tamiflu)
Where is the headline about the fact that Nancy Pelosi lied?
Tell me why the surge in the name Barak is news and the fact that the Madam Speaker LIED IS NOT?
CNN what do you call this, lack of journalistic integrity or biased?
More children have been killed in Chicago than by H1N1. Swine Flu is media hype with WHO looking for a bailout.
Much aflu about nothing.
Obama says "the country should prepare for a particularly tough flu season this fall." Oh, oh! what does he have up his sleeve that he's going to unleash on us under the guise of another flu scare hype?
As long as the liberal socialist pigs are in power, swine flu will run rampant. Just look at all the pork in B.O.'s budget ...
Oops. Darn happy fingers.
Meant to say NO reason to panic. Sorry folks.
The swine flue will come back into the spotlight when Obama needs to avert our attention from another attack on our freedom and our childrens future again.
Joe says stay out of elevators too.
That thing is nasty. It may not kill, but it sure infects like a plague. The breath of this virus is definitely TOXIC.
Guess they don't want to lose another crisis as a spending opportunity...........