WASHINGTON, April 26 --
Medpagetoday.com
InfectiousDisease
The Obama administration today declared a public health emergency as a "precautionary move" to combat the swine flu outbreak, which has grown from two cases to 20 in less than a week.
At a White House press briefing Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said the federal government would release 25% of the 50 million treatment courses of oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza) in the national stockpile.
The antivirals will be released to the states, "concentrating first on those states that have confirmed cases."
Napolitano said the Department of Defense had another 9 million courses of antivirals in its stockpile, but said those would be reserved for DoD use.
As of 9 a.m. today the CDC had confirmed eight cases in New York City, seven in California, two in Texas, two in Kansas, and one in Ohio.
Richard Besser, M.D., Acting Director of the CDC, said that the U.S. cases have all been mild, but he cautioned that he expected to see "more serious illness" in the coming days.
According to Dr. Besser the CDC has compiled "seed stock" from this new virus so that "we will be able to develop a vaccine, if that is necessary." He said the CDC has already contacted vaccine manufacturers to discuss that possibility.
He noted what might be a fortunate aspect to the outbreak. "We are at the end of the seasonal flu season, so we expect to see a decrease in the number of cases," Dr. Besser said. He said this seasonal flux might be a limiting factor for swine flu as well.
Dr. Besser said the CDC would release additional directives for state health departments later today. The CDC has a press briefing scheduled for 3 p.m. today.
