U.S. has more than 2,500 H1N1 flu cases

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States has 2,532 confirmed cases of the new H1N1 swine influenza in 44 states, and three deaths, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Sunday.

On Saturday, the CDC reported 2,254 confirmed cases, with 104 people in the hospital.

Washington state health officials said on Saturday a man in his 30s with underlying heart conditions succumbed to the virus last week. It was the first death in the state.

Although most cases appear to be mild, just as in seasonal flu the swine flu strain has killed, with 48 confirmed deaths in Mexico, three in the United States, one in Canada and one in Costa Rica.

It has moved into the southern hemisphere, where influenza season is just beginning, and could mix with circulating seasonal flu viruses or the H5N1 avian influenza virus to create new strains, health officials said.

(Reporting by World Desk Americas)