The first US death from swine flu has been confirmed amid increasing global anxiety over a health menace that authorities around the world are struggling to contain.
Until now, deaths have been confined to Mexico, where more than 150 have died and well over 2,000 are ill.
The flu death of a 23-month-old child in Texas has been confirmed by Dr Richard Besser, acting director of the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
Germany, which has confirmed three cases, is the latest country affected.
The world has no vaccine to prevent infection but US health officials aim to have a key ingredient for one ready in early May, the big step that vaccine manufacturers are awaiting.
But even if the World Health Organisation ordered up emergency vaccine supplies, it would take at least two more months to produce the initial shots needed for human safety testing.
President Barack Obama asked Congress for $1.5 billion in emergency funds to help build more drug stockpiles and monitor future cases, as well as help international efforts to avoid a full-fledged pandemic.
Mexico City, one of the world's largest cities, has taken drastic steps to curb the virus' spread, starting with shutting down schools and on Tuesday expanding closures to gyms and swimming pools and even telling restaurants to limit service to takeout. People who venture out tend to wear masks in hopes of protection.
The number of confirmed swine flu cases in the United States rose to 66 in six states. In New York, the city's health commissioner said "many hundreds" of schoolchildren were ill at a school where some students had confirmed cases.
New Zealand, Australia, Israel, Britain, Canada and now Germany have also reported cases. But only in Mexico so far are there confirmed deaths, and scientists remain baffled as to why.
