The US swine flu caseload rose to 65 in six states today as the Senate held an emergency hearing to evaluate the government's response to what doctors warn could become a pandemic.
President Barack Obama asked Congress for $1.5 billion extra to strengthen the country's response to the outbreak.
The US Centres for Disease Control said on its website that the new total included 10 cases in California, 2 in Kansas, 45 in New York, one in Ohio and 6 in Texas.An additional case was reported by Indiana state authorities.
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency over the flu outbreak, enabling rapid deployment of funds and personnel to fight the disease. Federal officials declared a national public health emergency on Sunday.
The new strain of swine flu has killed up to 149 people in Mexico, but cases seen elsewhere have been mild. One CDC official said five of the US cases had required hospitalisation.
The World Health Organization said today the current outbreak may lead to only a mild pandemic but warned that even this could have serious consequences.
Worldwide, 79 cases have now been confirmed in laboratories recognized by the WHO and officially notified to the United Nations agency.
In California and Texas, authorities have ordered schools shut where students have tested positive for the swine flu virus.
New York City continued to log the most confirmed cases of infection, many at a Queens private school where the virus has sickened at least 28 students. Officials had earlier said as many as 100 students might have been sickened.
The New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services identified five probable cases of the flu in people who recently traveled to Mexico or California. All had mild symptoms and none were hospitalised.
In Washington, an emergency Senate hearing was called to examine the flu situation and government's preparations to fight a possible pandemic.
"The (pandemic) potential is there and what we're focusing on very much is to contain the spread of this ... and its an evolving, dynamic situation," Dr Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told the hearing.
Reuters