Swine Flu: Reported on Four Continents

More evidence of the global spread of a deadly flu emerged Tuesday, with new cases reported on four continents and a growing number of people in the U.S. requiring hospital treatment. Health authorities said they have found possible cases of the new strain of A/H1N1 swine flu in the Middle East and Asia.

In the U.S., the number of confirmed cases rose to 66, including five people in California and Texas being treated at hospitals, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state health departments.

The new data indicated the strain was causing more severe illness in the U.S. than originally seen; only one of the first 40 confirmed cases had to be hospitalized. President Barack Obama on Tuesday asked Congress for $1.5 billion in additional funds to fight the epidemic, and lawmakers convened for a hearing to evaluate measures taken so far.

Many of the people confirmed with the swine flu outside Mexico were infected on trips to the country, officials said.