Despite a growing number of A/H1N1 flu cases, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva called for calmness on Monday, saying there is no reason to get into panic.

During his weekly radio program "Breakfast with the President, "Lula said the flu is not "the size it seemed to be" since it does not spread all over the world as predicted.

The president warned that people should be careful about the lethal virus.

Lula said his government is intensifying efforts in monitoring the country's airports and treating the infected patients.

On Sunday, the Health Ministry confirmed two more cases of the flu in Brazil, bringing the toll of confirmed cases to eight, according to the World Health Organization.

The two are middle-aged women from the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Rio de Janeiro respectively.

Nonetheless, the ministry said the spreading of the virus is limited in the country and it is taking steps to prevent further transmission.

People who had close contact with the confirmed patients are under monitoring by health authorities and have so far shown no related symptoms.

According to the ministry, the A/H1N1 flu has spreaded to five states in Brazil, with three cases reported in Rio de Janeiro, two in Sao Paulo, and one in other three states of Rio Grande do Sul, Minas Gerais and Santa Catarina respectively.

So far, the flu has affected 31 countries, with 4,800 confirmed cases and altogether 61 deaths in Mexico, the United States, Canada and Costa Rica.