Swine Flu: US Declares Public Health Emergency

WASHINGTON — The U.S. declared a public health emergency Sunday to deal with the emerging new swine flu, much like the government does to prepare for approaching hurricanes.

Officials reported 20 U.S. cases of swine flu in five states so far, with the latest in Ohio and New York. Unlike in Mexico where the same strain appears to be killing dozens of people, cases in the United State have been mild _ and U.S. health authorities can't yet explain why.

"As we continue to look for cases, we are going to see a broader spectrum of disease," predicted Dr. Richard Besser, acting chief of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "We're going to see more severe disease in this country."

At a White House news conference, Besser and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano sought to assure Americans that health officials are taking all appropriate steps to minimize the impact of the outbreak.

Top among those is declaring the public health emergency. As part of that, Napolitano said roughly 12 million doses of the drug Tamiflu will be moved from a federal stockpile to places where states can quickly get their share if they decide they need it. Priority will be given to the five states with known cases so far: California, Texas, New York, Ohio and Kansas.

Napolitano called the emergency declaration standard operating procedure _ one was declared recently for the inauguration and for flooding. She urged people to think of it as a "declaration of emergency preparedness."

"Really that's what we're doing right now. We're preparing in an environment where we really don't know ultimately what the size of seriousness of this outbreak is going to be."

___

On the Net:

CDC: http://www.cdc.gov

Comments

[23e45]

08:22 AM on 04/27/2009

Hear Ye!!! Hear Ye!!! Bring out the Trators!! Those who voted for, took part in, and all those responcibile for torture and give them the same trial they give other people. No Wait..... Bring them to Gitmo.... Like Rumsfeld said ...... Lets see what they know...... maybe we will find out who started this flu epidemic..
Then if in for or 5 years we find out that they dont know anything. Well they were a danger to the US security and need to be kept confined for the rest of their lives.... Wouldn't want then to get released after a little misunderstanding....

[Rodeskawler]

07:58 AM on 04/27/2009

About 12.000 Americans die each year from the epidemic known as lack of healthcare.

In America, the Swine flu has killed noone so far, but we saw some media grandstanding declaring a health emergency. To understand this, see my other post.

[Rodeskawler]

07:55 AM on 04/27/2009

Nothing like a nice media distraction to turn the attention away from war crimes, treason and illegal domestic spying.

This should make it easier for Obama to continue to protect the multi-national, investment-class millionaire elitists from both parties.

[pokemon]

02:48 AM on 04/27/2009

"are you ready?"

[MadLabrador]

12:57 AM on 04/27/2009

My latest web comic is about the whole thing:

http://bit.ly/t9R4D

[politicky]

09:29 PM on 04/26/2009

U.S. health experts noted, meanwhile, that deaths from influenza are common. In an average year in the United States, about 35,000 people die from the flu, and in bad years nearly twice that number.
The Pan American Health Organization said Friday that there have so far been 854 cases of "influenza-like illness" in Mexico City, with 59 deaths. Another 24 cases with three deaths have occurred in San Luis Potosi, in central Mexico, and 24 cases with no deaths in Mexicali, near the U.S. border.
http://www.latimes.com/news/science/la-sci-flu25-2009apr25,0,1963704.story

Venture capital firm set to reap rewards on swine flu
Fri Apr 24, 2009 11:11pm BST
http://uk.reuters.com/article/governmentFilingsNews/idUKN2445216420090424

Flu Kills The Torture Memos
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=13351


Donald Rumsfeld owns stock in the company that makes Tamiflu = TRUE
http://www.snopes.com/politics/medical/tamiflu.asp

[Estevan Benson]

10:40 PM on 04/26/2009

yes, this flu was orchestrated because the govt wanted to prevent discussion of the released torture memos going into another news cycle... because, um, there's no such thing as the internet and no one had any idea torture was going on...

you're full of it. go away.

[weatherwaxx]

01:41 AM on 04/27/2009

The timing is suggestive - this broke out just after President Obama was down in Mexico,and one of the men he met with has died after suffering from this disease (from complications, it turns out, but it's still an eerie coincidence.)

If it were anybody but Cheney and Rumsfeld, I'd say it's tin-hat time. But like the anthrax sent only to Democrats, and the convenient demise of the guy that attack was pinned on... put it this was: this is PROBABLY coincidence, but it's just the sort of thing I could believe of Cheney and his ilk.

[PaPaPeng]

08:50 PM on 04/26/2009

A suggestion. Anyone coming down with flu symptoms be given a week off on full pay at minimum wage rate. That will allow the flu to develop fully away from co-workers and the public and isolation measures can be put in place if indeed it is the flu. Or if not infected the leave will prevent the "weakened" person with flu like symptoms from catching the flu while in a vulnerable state. Put in place a mechanism with simple checks so that people sent off from work get reimbursed at the minimum wage rate. This will mean a lot to minimum wage earners who do not have health insurance and need to stay in the workforce sick or not. People with health insurance should not apply for reimbursement but let this be voluntary. The cost of a bureaucracy to deny them minimum wage compensation is likely not worth the trouble.

[Nicon]

11:53 PM on 04/26/2009

or just wash your damn hands. lol.

ITs the flu.

[R2D2-51]

08:34 PM on 04/26/2009

Timin Virginia" has a good suggestion: "Antibiotics have absolutely no affect on the flu. Antibiotics are to treat bacteria infections. Influenza and the common cold are viruses. It will not help period.

Tamaflu is used AFTER you get the flu, it helps relieve symptoms.

The 1918 influenza pandemic killed 20,000,000 people in 3 monthsm that is right 20 MILLION.
That was before jet travel.
When it started in Aug 1918, it died down quickly, mutated and came back with a vengence about 10 weeks later. Those who had the first fo round were immune from the 2nd.

Normally the flu kills the very young and elderly. The 1918 flu killed mostly young (18-45) healthy adults. If this truly is a pandemic it will be ugly.

I just hope your County/City has a plan to deal with this. I run a County 9-1-1 center, and I have a written plan to ensure continuity of 9-1-1 services to my County.

Call your County Emergency Management Office to see if they have a plan in place.
This may be very serious folks."

[TFDNYC]

08:54 PM on 04/26/2009

BOO! ...sheesh...

[Teri]

08:27 PM on 04/26/2009

this is when i want dr sanjay gupta as head of public health, he'd calm out fears. janet napolitano scares me more!

[weatherwaxx]

01:26 AM on 04/27/2009

get a pacifier.

[scooter-tws]

08:24 PM on 04/26/2009

Does anyone know what the swine flue mortality is outside of Mexico?

Is it only the US that has a form that is relatively harmless? Or is it everywhere BUT Mexico?

Also, what's the status of those dying in Mexico? Are they Mexico City's poor? Pre-existing conditions (ie. vitamin deficiencies)?

But instead we ask why the President isn't on the "vaccine" Tamiflu...

[R2D2-51]

08:37 PM on 04/26/2009

Heres a good place to start with link to WHO:

http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/investigation.htm

[heidi kerr]

10:02 PM on 04/26/2009

Let me say that your question about the poor seems a bit dumb and uninformed. Everyone gets sick, a very prominent politician came down with the flu, just like everyone else.

The swine flu over here is no different from the one over there. The problem in Mexico was that they were using anti-virals that weren't working. Now they found that Tamiflu works wonders. We are all wearing face-masks and none of us are going to school. So everyone has to stay home for nine days and hopefully it will all be under control.

[Trogenhorse]

08:18 PM on 04/26/2009

I'm quite disappointed by the responses here. As a health care professional, I often get fraustrated with people in this country who want an answer to every illness immediately but will not engage simple common sense instructions.
1. There is a FLU which has a recent history of deaths.
2. The distant history of this flu also caused deaths.
3. The Flu has shown up quite quickly in multiple areas of of the world
4. Mexico has a large sudden onset of morbidity and mortality associated with this flu
5. Flu is a specific virus which require specific medication to rid it but can be inhibited by a general resistant agent
6. By providing a resisitance agent, keeping people from passing it ( isolation), providing instructions on maintaining and promoting a healthy immune system, a country can decrease mortality and influence morbidity.

Really, are we that slow that we can't just follow the instructions? Really?

[R2D2-51]

08:42 PM on 04/26/2009

As an educator we are losing an average of 50% of our secondary student who drop out. Also see Reagan's Task Force Study Report, "A Nation at Risk" Do a Google and download. Reading this report after retiring as an Assistant Fire Chief, to now just beginning my Doctorate in Ed. D. is why I returned to higher learning. A cog in the wheel to change these numbers.

[jennyc]

08:06 PM on 04/26/2009

I'm a substitute teacher and recently taught a science class where the students watched a video about the 1918 outbreak. It started with pigs and birds, swept the world and killed millions and millions of people. I'd learn more about that epidemic before dismissing this one. Like the 1918 one, this targets young and healthy people. If I hadn't seen that video, I'm sure I wouldn't be as concerned as I am. I would suggest not taking this matter lightly.

[labman57]

08:03 PM on 04/26/2009

As with all outbreaks of virulent ,highly contagious diseases, the key is to be vigilant but not hysterical.

[weatherwaxx]

01:31 AM on 04/27/2009

Well, that rules out using American media to educate people.

[KIMBER]

07:52 PM on 04/26/2009

Remember SARS, and Bird Flu? Fer cryin' out loud we don't have enough of this worldwide to fill a small town high school gymnasium, and not enough in the US to fill a bus!
This has trumped up distraction written all over it. By who and why I don't know.
Don't lose your mind over this one, and whatever you do, don't go pulling up your sleeves for any vaccines. Maybe somebody in the CDC just wants to shoot something into us for some reason? Well, look what happened to the Gulf War vets when that happened. They can just keep all of that crap.

[pat8942]

07:28 PM on 04/26/2009

I'm surprised California doesn't have a regulation prohibiting the transfer of a virus.

[bubbuh]

07:30 PM on 04/26/2009

I'm sure you are surprised several times a day.

[pat8942]

07:37 PM on 04/26/2009

Being old, just waking up surprises me.