Swine Flu Confirmed in Six States
By: Tracie Potts, NBC News
Updated: April 29, 2009
As the number of cases continues to grow, there is some concern that
the Obama Administration isn't doing enough to prevent the spread of
swine flu. The World Health Organization has bumped up the situation to a phase four, two steps away from a worldwide pandemic.
We now have 50 confirmed cases in the U.S. Over half of them from one school in New York.
The government's screening at the border but will that prevent sick people from entering our country?
In Mexico, they're handing out masks to the public.
In Asia, high-tech computers scan airline passengers for fever.
But people entering the U.S. only get informational handouts and are questioned about how they're feeling.
Why not do more? The Homeland Security Secretary says there's little evidence tougher screening at the border will prevent swine flu from spreading.
But Janet Napolitano said it would slow down commerce.
"We literally have thousands of trucks and lots of commerce that cross that border. We have food products and other things that have to go across that border. So that would be a very, very heavy cost."
The World Health Organization, agrees:
"The person might not be symptomatic at an airport, or at any other border crossing. So border controls do not work, travel restrictions do not work," said WHO spokesperson Gregory Hartl.
Travel has become a major concern, with 150 deaths in Mexico and new cases confirmed in Israel and New Zealand.
Even with hundreds of people sick in Mexico, most of the world's confirmed cases, 50, are here in the U.S.
Most of them in New York.
"We have possible cases in all regions of the state. Our lab will do preliminary testing on those," said New York State Health Commissioner Richard Daines.
The Obama Administration's working on this with one hand tied behind its back no one in charge of health and human services.
The senate is debating Kathleen Sebelius' nomination today.
Also in Washington today, the senate is holding a hearing on swine flu.
They'll hear from top infectious disease experts from the CDC and the National Institutes of Health.
