State of Emergency

LOS ANGELES -- California declared a state of emergency to tackle the swine flu outbreak on Tuesday as authorities said they were investigating two deaths in Los Angeles for possible links to the disease.

A statement from Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's office said that while there was "no need for alarm," the emergency declaration was necessary to help limit the spread of swine flu.

"While there is no need for alarm, it is the Governor's top priority to limit the swine flu's spread as quickly and effectively as possible ...," the statement said.

The declaration came as authorities in Los Angeles confirmed they were probing the recent deaths of two men who had exhibited flu-like symptoms shortly before dying at hospitals in the area.

One case involved a 33-year-old man who died on Monday at a hospital in the suburb of Bellflower. The second case concerned a 45-year-old who died on April 22 at another hospital.

Los Angeles County Coroner's office spokesman Ed Winter said tests were being carried out on both men to determine if swine flu was involved.

If confirmed, they would be the first US fatalities from swine flu, which is believed to have killed 152 people in Mexico and sickened thousands more.

California officials on Monday confirmed 11 cases across the state, although none have been reported in Los Angeles County, the most populous county in the United States with slightly more than 10 million residents.

However, Los Angeles health officials said they were fully expecting an outbreak in the region.

"It's here -- just a matter of time," said Laurene Mascola, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health's Acute Communicable Disease Control.