In flyers taken home by students, the city's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene urged parents to be "alert but calm."

There were no evident signs of panic in New York, though some of the city's drug stores have run out of face masks and hand sanitizers, as was the case at a Rite Aid on Northern Boulevard at85th Street in Queens.

Monica Granja, the 27-year-old manager, said the items had been bought up as early as Monday morning.

"I just hope it doesn't get close to us," said Granja, who has a 7-year-old son.

At a CVS drugstore several blocks away, customers are asked to check back Thursday evening or Friday morning.

On the chain's website, CVS.com, all face masks are listed as "out of stock" Tuesday afternoon, even the one with a warning that "it does not eliminate the risk of contracting any disease or infection," which was available the night before.

In Atlanta, CDC acting director Richard Besser said the total of confirmed swine flu cases has risen to 64, with at least five having been hospitalized -- three in California and two in Texas.

"I fully expect we will see deaths from this infection," Besser said.

In addition to the 45 in New York, the other confirmed cases are 10 in California, six in Texas, two in Kansas and one in Ohio.

"We are in a pre-pandemic period," Besser said.

In neighboring Mexico, the epicenter of the current outbreak, swine flu was believed to have killed 149 people and hospitalized 776 others. Another 1,070 people were treated for the flu, but were well enough to go home.

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Editor:Yang Jie