Obama declares swine flu a national emergency
Sunday, October 25, 2009 - 01:56
in Health & Medicine
The move empowers his Health secretary to suspend federal requirements and speed treatment. More than 20,000 hospitalizations have been confirmed as H1N1 infections since April. President Obama on Saturday declared the swine flu outbreak a national emergency, a procedural step designed to allow healthcare providers to speed treatment and slow the spread of the disease.