▁in fection . ▁ ▁Department ▁of ▁Com merce ▁The ▁Department ▁of ▁Com merce ▁sent ▁a ▁letter ▁to ▁Russia ▁and ▁China ▁request ing ▁that ▁those ▁countries ▁lift ▁their ▁ban ▁on ▁American ▁p ork ▁products . ▁ ▁Department ▁of ▁Def ense ▁The ▁Department ▁of ▁Def ense ▁( DO D ) ▁monitor ed ▁the ▁sw ine ▁flu ▁situation ▁and ▁had ▁cont ing ency ▁plans ▁to ▁deal ▁with ▁such ▁out break s . ▁As ▁of ▁May ▁ 7 , ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁the ▁DO D ▁reported ▁ 1 0 4 ▁confirmed ▁cases ▁among ▁Ar med ▁Forces ▁personnel ▁and ▁their ▁families . ▁DO D ▁maintained ▁a ▁daily ▁summary ▁and ▁map . ▁ ▁Department ▁of ▁Education ▁The ▁Department ▁of ▁Education ▁provided ▁guidance ▁to ▁schools ▁in ▁the ▁US ▁affected ▁by ▁sw ine ▁flu , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁pre ca utions ▁to ▁take . ▁ ▁State ▁and ▁local ▁School s ▁closed ▁in ▁many ▁states ▁in ▁response ▁to ▁local ▁flu ▁out break s . ▁By ▁April ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁ 3 0 0 ▁U . S . ▁schools ▁and ▁school ▁districts ▁had ▁announced ▁clos ures ▁in ▁response ▁to ▁the ▁out break , ▁giving ▁ 1 6 9 , 0 0 0 ▁students ▁time ▁off . ▁On ▁May ▁ 4 , ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁about ▁ 5 3 3 ▁schools ▁in ▁ 2 4 ▁states ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁were ▁closed , ▁affect ing ▁about ▁ 3 3 0 , 0 0 0 ▁students . ▁On ▁September ▁