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US declares swine flu outbreak a health emergency

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-04-27 17:07

WASHINGTON – The United States declared a swine flu outbreak a public health emergency Sunday as officials confirmed 20 cases in five US states and warned that they expected more in the coming days.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano speaks during a press briefing on the swine flu outbreak. The US declared a public health emergency amid cases of swine flu and will screen visitors arriving from infected countries. [Agencies]

President Barack Obama is monitoring the spreading virus and has reviewed US capabilities to counter the deadly flu outbreak, which has killed up to 81 people in Mexico, White House homeland security advisor John Brennan told reporters.

Obama has ordered a "very active, aggressive, and coordinated response," Brennan said.

Full coverage:  Swine Flu Outbreak Related readings:  Map of Mexico and North America reporting cases of swine flu  Is swine flu 'the big one' or a flu that fizzles?  WHO, US declare swine flu emergencies  World govts race to contain swine flu outbreak

Richard Besser, the acting head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), told a White House press conference that there were eight confirmed US cases in New York City, seven in California, two in Texas, two in Kansas and one in Ohio.

"As we look for cases of swine flu, we are seeing more cases of swine flu. We expect to see more cases of swine flu," said Besser.

"We're responding aggressively to try and learn more about this outbreak" and to implement measures to control its spread, he added.

"We've ramped up our surveillance around the country to try and understand better what is the scope, what is the magnitude of this outbreak."

Although there the government has not issued a warning against travel to Mexico, Besser said warnings could be increased "based on what the situation warrants."

Homeland Security Department Secretary Janet Napolitano said the US government would officially declare a public health emergency later on Sunday in response to the outbreak, adding that the declaration was "standard operating procedure."

The move allows government agencies to free up federal, state and local agencies and their resources in preventing the spread of the virus.

The declaration also allows officials to use medication and diagnostic tests and releases funds to purchase additional antiviral medication.

"All persons entering the United States from a location of human infection of swine flu will be processed through all appropriate CDC protocols," she added.

Suspected swine flu cases were being tested in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, after the new strain gain attention out of Mexico last week.

Health officials in Canada have reported a total of six confirmed cases of the potentially deadly virus.

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