Panic dies down, but swine flu lives on

When the first cases of the swine flu emerged earlier this year, face masks flew off the shelves, schools closed and every new case made headlines.

The panic has since subsided, but as the outbreak at the Air Force Academy proves, swine flu is still around.

In most cases, the virus has proven milder than seasonal influenza, although it can still make for a miserable experience. Most people have not sought medical treatment, and of more than 37,000 U.S. cases, there have been just 211 deaths.

Still, the virus is pandemic — found in more than 70 countries — and the academy outbreak illustrates just how fast a new illness can spread. Countries reporting cases of the virus have doubled since it was first declared a pandemic. The U.S. has reported the most cases of any country.

Health authorities are reminding people to wash their hands, to cover coughs and sneezes, and to stay home if they have a fever until symptoms go away.

According to Newsday, federal public health officials hope that 100 million doses of a swine flu vaccine will be ready by October, pending the outcome of clinical trials next months.