Obama declares H1N1 a national emergency
Washington, Oct 25: President Barack Obama has declared deadly Swine Flu a 'national emergency', the White House said on Sunday, Oct 25, as the country suffers from millions of cases of infection and over 1,000 deaths.
The emergency declaration, signed by the President on Saturday, Oct 25, enhances the ability of medical treatment facilities to handle a spike in influenza A (H1N1) patients by allowing medical officials to temporarily bypass certain federal requirements.
"The 2009 H1N1 pandemic continues to evolve," Obama said in the declaration.
Swine
Flu:
Complete
Coverage
"The
rates
of
illness
continue
to
rise
rapidly
within
many
communities
across
the
nation,
and
the
potential
exists
for
the
pandemic
to
overburden
health
care
resources
in
some
localities,"
he
said.
The declaration comes just days after Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius warned that demand was outstripping supply of vaccine.
OneIndia news