Public Health Emergency Declared by U.S-Swine Flu Cases Rise

Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano said today “We are declaring today a public health emergency”. All levels of government can now start taking preparatory steps to try to contain the swine flu outbreak. 

Swine flu cases in the U.S. have risen to 20 people. Eight of those swine flu cases involved students from the Saint Francis Preparatory School in Queens, N.Y. Seven of the cases were in California, two in Texas, two in Kansas and one in Ohio.

Officials are advising to stay home if you’re sick, avoid close contact with people ,wash your hands often, avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth and cover your mouth or nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing.

The Department of Homeland Security is releasing 25% of stockpiled antivirals Tamiflu and Relenza.

Janet Napolitano said the public health emergency declaration  reagarding swine flu “sounds more severe than it really is”, However, the Center for Disease Control‘s interim deputy director for science and public health program, Anne Schuchat, Md. advised: be prepared for the possibility that there may be severe cases and even fatalities in the U.S. She also said at a news conference today, “I do fear that we will have deaths here”.