Washington, D.C.--Congressman Eliot Engel warned of the spread of a possible swine flu epidemic, which has already struck in five states and in New York City. “There is no reason to panic,” he said, “but care should be taken to keep from being infected.”

As of Monday, he said, there have been 60 confirmed cases throughout the country of swine flu infection with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirming a swine flu cluster at a private school in Queens and two cases reported in Rockland County. “All of these patients have suffered only minor illness,” he emphasized, “none required hospitalization, and nearly all are already improving.”

Rep. Engel, a senior member of the Health Subcommittee of the House Energy & Commerce Committee, is working closely with New York State, New York City and federal officials to monitor this public health situation. “In an effort to provide helpful information, I wanted to share with you the CDC’s swine flu website, http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/.

“Should you have additional questions, you may call New York City’s information line “311” or the New York State Department of Health at 1-800-808-1987.

Like seasonal flu, swine flu in humans can vary in severity from mild to severe, with deaths form the flu in the United States a rarity.

The symptoms of swine flu are similar to symptoms of regular human flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Like seasonal flu, swine flu may cause a worsening of underlying chronic medical conditions. The disease is spread the same way that seasonal flu spreads, through coughing or sneezing by people with influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.

The most important thing you can do to keep from getting the disease is to wash your hands often. Also, get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food. Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

There are treatments for the disease with the CDC recommending oseltamivir or zanamivir for the treatment and/or prevention of infection with these swine influenza viruses. Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaler) that fight against the flu by keeping flu viruses from reproducing in your body. If you get sick, antiviral drugs can make your illness milder and make you feel better faster.

If you are sick, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people as much as possible to keep from spreading your illness to others. If you become ill and experience any of the following warning signs, seek emergency medical care.

In children emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

* Fast breathing or trouble breathing
* Bluish skin color
* Not drinking enough fluids
* Not waking up or not interacting
* Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
* Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
* Fever with a rash

In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

* Sudden dizziness
* Confusion
* Severe or persistent vomiting
* Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
* Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath