WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama has declared the swine flu outbreak a national emergency.
The White House on Saturday said President Obama signed a proclamation that would allow medical officials to bypass certain federal requirements. Officials described the move as similar to a declaration ahead of a hurricane making landfall.
Swine flu is more widespread now than it's ever been and has resulted in more than 1,000 U.S. deaths so far.
Health authorities say almost 100 children have died from the flu, known as H1N1, and 46 states now have widespread flu activity.
In Palm Beach County, six deaths and 71 hospitalizations have been reported.
Last week, South Florida health workers started giving swine flu vaccines to children, pregnant women and people in other high-priority groups.
Palm Beach County is in good shape as far as swine flu is concerned, but it's important to make sure people know the virus is still out there and a greater risk in flu season, said Tim O'Connor, spokesman for the county Health Department.
The county is well stocked with Tamiflu, the primary drug used to treat swine flu, O'Connor said, and the county has adopted a unified approach involving several agencies should there be any outbreaks.
Obama's announcement doesn't change much for the county, he said, but would give state officials better access to federal resources during a crisis.
"At this point none of the hospitals are being overwhelmed," O'Connor said Saturday.
