Lab tests confirmed Colorado's first two cases of the H1N1 swine flu strain yesterday, a day when the illness spread to 18 states as health officials continued to push their simple message that people should wash their hands often, avoid people who are ill, and seek out a doctor if they've got flu-like symptoms. One of Colorado's victims is an Arapahoe County woman who returned from a Mexican cruise via San Diego. The other is a Denver International Airport baggage handler for United Airlines who was interviewed by 9News, describing the flu's high fever, terrible headache, sweating, and stomach pains that left him hospitalized for days. "It was the worst flu I've ever had in my life," the 44-year-old baggage handler says, asking to remain anonymous. Still, a handful of people at a bookstore interviewed by the Greeley Tribune yesterday weren't too worried about swine flu. Even Denver Post columnist Mike Littwin admits he's "trying very hard to panic, but somehow I can't quite pull it off." From the perspective of health officials, what's scary about the swine flu is that there's no vaccine for it (via the Colorado Springs Gazette). Pharmacies, nonetheless, are seeing a spike in demand for flu medicines and remedies, according to The Pueblo Chieftain. Meanwhile, the state awaits at least three more test results from federal health officials, the Post reports.