Costa Rican President Oscar Arias on Wednesday urged his people to keep calm in face of the possible swine flu outbreak in the country and asked the pharmaceutical companies and suppliers of medical products not to raise prices.

"We have enough medicine to assist people, so I urge you to be calm and prudent," Arias told a meeting at the Government Council.

"We must avoid panic and carelessness, the health authorities know what they should do and we have given them precise instructions," he said.

The president has issued an emergency decree to order all institutions and inhabitants in the country to follow instructions of the health authorities.

Arias said it is not easy to contain the spread of the swine flu virus, but believes health workers could reach out to those who are in need of help.

According to the World Health Organization, Costa Rica has two suspected cases of swine flu.

(Xinhua News Agency April 30, 2009)