The Navy says the number of sailors with swine flu now has jumped to 18 from just a handful earlier this week.

WASHINGTON (AP) - May 8, 2009 Navy spokesman Lt. Cmdr. John M. Daniels says the number spiked when 11 suspected cases from the USS Dubuque were confirmed.

The Navy had announced Tuesday that it was canceling the deployment of the San Diego-based ship after one member of the crew fell ill.

The 11 new confirmed cases were among 50 people the Navy said at that time were showing symptoms and being treated with the anti-viral drug Tamiflu. The ship was scheduled to leave June 1 for the South Pacific.

Daniels says all but one of the 18 infected sailors are in the San Diego area.

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RELATED LINKS:

CDC Swine Flu site
World Health Organization

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Swine flu cases around the world

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