US declears public health emergency over swine flu

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Source: CCTV.com | 04-27-2009 09:02

The swine flu is also spreading quickly in the US, with 20 cases reported in five states. The country declared a public emergency on Sunday to deal with the outbreak.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano (L) speaks during a press briefing on the swine flu outbreak in Washington, DC.(AFP/Mandel Ngan)

The Federal Center for Disease Control and Prevention says more cases are expected and it is taking measures to control the outbreak.

The center says the virus found in the US is the same one that killed dozens of people in Mexico. But the cases in the US have been mild.

Meanwhile, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano says around 12 million doses of the anti-flu drug Tamiflu are being released from a federal stockpile.

She assured the public that health officials are taking all appropriate steps to minimize the impact of the outbreak.

Janet Napolitano, US Homeland Security Secretary, said, "All persons entering the United States from a location of human infection of swine flu will be processed through all appropriate CBP (US Customs and Border Protection) protocols. Right now those are passive. That means that they're looking for people who and asking about 'are you sick', 'have you been sick', and the like. And, if so, then they can be referred over for further examination."