US president Barack Obama has declared swine flu a national emergency. Skip related content
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US declares swine flu 'emergency'
It increases the ability of treatment facilities to handle a surge in H1N1 patients by easing the implementation of emergency plans.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Friday that swine flu has become widespread in 46 of the 50 US states.
The White House statement said the declaration was intended to prepare the country in case of "a rapid increase in illness that may overburden healthcare resources." It was similar to disaster declarations issued before hurricanes hit coastal areas.
Swine flu has hit young adults and children the hardest and has killed more than 1,000 people in the United States and put more than 20,000 in the hospital since it emerged earlier this year.
Meanwhile, in the UK, a hard-hitting advertising campaign about how easily swine flu can spread will be launched this week by the Government.
The campaign features a father travelling home from work, sneezing and spreading germs as he goes.
When he finally arrives home, he turns the volume down on the television as his son watches cartoons.
The youngster then picks up the remote before sucking his thumb.
The campaign, under the slogan Catch It, Kill It, Bin It, will feature in newspapers from tomorrow as GPs start to take delivery of the vaccine.
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