The Department of Health and Human Services has issued a nationwide public health emergency declaration in response to an outbreak of swine flu.
The formal declaration of a Public Health Emergency is a tool that facilitates HHS’ preparation and mobilization for disasters and emergencies.
The declaration will enable the Food and Drug Administration to review and issue emergency use authorizations for certain laboratory tests to help detect swine Influenza A/H1N1 and for the emergency use of certain antivirals. It is not known what such a declaration will cost.
“HHS is taking these steps today to be proactive in responding to this new influenza virus by offering national tools in support of community-led preparedness and response efforts,” Acting HHS Secretary Charles Johnson said. “The declaration allows us the flexibility, while we learn more about the virus and its impact in the United States, to take additional steps to fully mobilize our prevention, treatment and mitigation capabilities should those actions become necessary.”
The FDA, the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are working to develop a vaccine precursor that could be used to develop a vaccine for the swine flu virus.
To date, there have been 20 confirmed cases of swine Influenza A/H1N1 in California, Texas, Kansas, New York and Ohio. No deaths in the United States have been reported due to the illness, though the latest news reports indicate the death toll has topped 100 in Mexico (officials there say only 18 have so far been confirmed as having been caused by the flu), while 1,614 flu cases have been reported.
Additional cases of the virus have been confirmed in Canada, while New Zealand, Spain and Israel are investigating unconfirmed cases.
The World Health Organization has called the outbreak a "public health emergency of international concern." The European Union's health commissioner has advised against travel to North America, though U.S. officials have said that warning as "not warranted."
Swine influenza is a contagious respiratory disease, caused by the type A influenza virus, that affects pigs, but doesn't usually infect humans. The current strain is a new variation of an H1N1 virus, which is a mix of human and animal versions.
Photo obtained under Creative Commons License - Ed.