Wall street has been waiting for an excuse to start dumping, and swine flu looks set to rock the world. Check out the panic in the U.S. as swine flu sweeps the country.
US NEWS Swine Flu Declared Emergency In US 2009-10-24 05:20pm
US President Barack Obama has signed a proclamation to declare the 2009 H1N1 outbreak a national emergency as the US heads into the traditional winter flu season.
The declaration allows health authorities to bypass certain federal requirements and implement emergency plans in anticipation of a surge in the number of cases.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that swine flu is widespread in 46 states. The CDC says visits to doctors for influenza-like-illness are increasing steeply across the US and are now higher than what is seen at the peak of many regular flu seasons, which traditionally run from November to March.
It says that flu-related hospitalisations and deaths continue to go up nation-wide and are above what is expected for this time of year.
The deaths of over 1,000 Americans, including at least 100 children, have so far been linked to H1N1.
In his proclamation statement Mr Obama said the national emergency declaration was a proactive measure as the swine flu pandemic "continues to evolve".
"The rates of illness continue to rise rapidly within many communities across the nation, and the potential exists for the pandemic to overburden health care resources in some localities."
Mr Obama also said health authorities had developed an effective vaccine, and that the US government is aiming to release 50 million doses by the middle of November and 150 million in December.
This new virus was first detected in people in the United States in April 2009.
