CDC Issues US National Health Emergency for Swine Flu

from NPR:

U.S. health officials declared a public health emergency Sunday in response to a growing outbreak of swine flu, as Canada reported its first confirmed cases.

At a White House briefing, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said the declaration "sounds more severe than it really is," but said it authorizes public health officials to put an apparatus in place for additional testing, to distribute antiviral medications and to take other steps if needed.

Napolitano said roughly 12 million doses of antiviral drugs will be moved from a federal stockpile to places where states can quickly get their share if they decide they need it. Priority will be given to the five states with known cases so far: California, Texas, New York, Ohio and Kansas.