NEW YORK, NY April 28, 2009 —Mayor Bloomberg says swine flu appears to be spreading in New York City but he says it's nothing to be alarmed about. WNYC's Arun Venugopal has more.

The mayor repeatedly emphasized that the local swine flu is mild and that people should keep going to work or school or conducting their business. He said even he has to keep shaking hundreds of hands a day.

BLOOMBERG: And so far at least I haven't come down - cough - just kidding.

He also noted that St. Francis Prep in Queens has probably had hundreds of cases of swine flu, none of them serious. The city is increasingly approaching this as it does the regular flu.

BLOOMBERG: It is very possible that this will spread further and that your child will get it. Like every year - it's exactly the same thing.

Which isn't to say it's a small matter - he said about 2000 New Yorkers die from the flu or pneumonia every year. But in this situation, health officials plan to focus on the worst cases, figuring that others will get better with time and regular treatment.