Obama declares swine flu outbreak an ‘emergency’

US President Barack Obama has declared swine flu a “national emergency” as the US reels from millions of cases of infection and more than 1,000 deaths.

The emergency declaration, which was made public on Saturday, lets doctors and nurses temporarily bypass certain federal requirements so they can better handle a spike in influenza A(H1N1) patients.

The declaration comes just days after Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said that demand was outstripping supply of vaccine for the novel flu strain.

“The 2009 H1N1 pandemic continues to evolve,” Obama said in the declaration. “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.”

US officials, however, said the declaration was not issued because of any specific development, but rather as a pre-emptive measure.

As Americans waited for more vaccine shipments, 46 of the 50 states have now reported widespread swine flu activity — an unusually early uptick that ordinarily takes place in January or February at the peak of a normal flu season.

“By rapidly identifying the virus, implementing public health measures, providing guidance for health professionals and the general public and developing an effective vaccine, we have taken proactive steps to reduce the impact of the pandemic and protect the health of our citizens,” Obama said.

The declaration gives Sebelius temporary authority to allow local authorities to set up makeshift emergency rooms to treat possible flu victims separate from regular patients.

In a note to Congress, Obama said the move was implemented “in order to be prepared in the event of a rapid increase in illness across the nation that may overburden health care resources.”

At least 4,999 people have died from swine flu infections worldwide since April, when an outbreak was first reported in Mexico. In the US, Sebelius first declared a public health emergency in response to the virus on April 26, and renewed that declaration on July 24 and Oct. 1.