December 10, 2009

ATLANTA (AP) -- Health officials now estimate that swine flu has sickened nearly 50 million Americans and killed nearly 10,000.

The new estimates mean about 1 in 6 Americans have had the illness. The figures were released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday.

The CDC also estimates that 200,000 people have been hospitalized since the virus was first identified in April though mid-November. That's the same amount that occurs normally in an entire flu season.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)