House panel schedules emergency swine flu hearing this week, out of concern about an outbreak

September 1st, 2009 Obama says Americans should get swine flu vaccineWASHINGTON — With a potentially deadly swine flu outbreak looming, President Barack Obama is urging Americans to take steps to prevent infection. Obama was briefed Tuesday on the nation's preparedness for swine flu by senior officials, including Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Homeland Security Janet Napolitano.

May 14th, 2009 MEXICO CITY - The toll in Mexico's swine flu outbreak has risen to 60, Health Minister Jose Angel Cordova Villalobos said. A total of 2,386 people have been infected with the influenza A(H1N1) virus, also called swine flu.

April 28th, 2009 Swine flu has Caterpillar restrict Mexican travelPEORIA, Ill. — Heavy equipment maker Caterpillar Inc.

April 28th, 2009 Official: Some in US deaths likely from fluWASHINGTON — Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano is warning that more severe illnesses and some deaths are likely in the United States from the current swine flu outbreak. At a daily briefing on the government's response to the outbreak, Napolitano also said the virus could subside this summer and return in the fall when the normal flu season begins.

April 28th, 2009 White House asks lawmakers for $1.5b for fluWASHINGTON — The White House is asking Congress for $1.5 billion to fight a swine flu outbreak. President Barack Obama sent a letter to lawmakers on Tuesday, asking them for a supplemental spending plan to build drug stockpiles and monitor future cases.

April 27th, 2009 WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama said he was closely watching an outbreak of swine flu in the US, where 20 cases have so far been identified, but urged people to remain calm. 'This is obviously a cause for concern and requires a heightened state of alert, but it's not a cause for alarm,' Obama said in a speech at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington.

April 27th, 2009 Congress to probe swine flu outbreakWASHINGTON — Congress plans to hold emergency hearings this week on swine flu. Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, the chairman of an appropriations subcommittee dealing with health issues, called for a hearing Tuesday afternoon to explore the public health response to the outbreak.

April 27th, 2009 WASHINGTON/GENEVA - The Geneva-based World Health Organisation Saturday declared the outbreak of swine flu in Mexico and the US a 'public health emergency of international concern'. At least 20 deaths in Mexico have been confirmed as swine flu, among a total of 60 deaths that have occurred there.

April 27th, 2009 TORONTO - After the US and Mexico, Canada Sunday confirmed six cases of swine flu. The human swine flu outbreak originated in Mexico where 80 people have already died.

April 26th, 2009 US declares public health emergency for swine fluWASHINGTON — The U.S. declared a public health emergency Sunday to deal with the emerging new swine flu, much like the government does to prepare for approaching hurricanes.

April 25th, 2009 Obama health fine after trip to MexicoWASHINGTON — The White House says President Barack Obama's health is fine a little more than a week after he traveled to Mexico, where an outbreak of swine flu has killed at least 68 people and sickened more than 1,000. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Saturday that "the President’s trip to Mexico has not put his health in any danger." The top international health official says the new swine flu strain that has hit Mexico has "pandemic potential." Obama was in Mexico last week to meet with top government officials and talk about the growing problem with drug smuggling and border violence.

April 25th, 2009 WHO chief to oversee handling of swine flu crisisGENEVA — The head of the World Health Organization arrived in Geneva on Saturday to oversee the agency's handling of the swine flu outbreak that is believed to have killed dozens of people in Mexico. Margaret Chan broke off a visit to Washington to return to WHO's Strategic Health Operation Center in Switzerland, where she was being briefed before an emergency committee meeting later Saturday to consider whether to raise the pandemic alert level or issue travel advisories, spokesman Gregory Hartl said.

April 25th, 2009 Mexico may isolate flu patients, inspect homesMEXICO CITY — The Mexican government has issued a special decree clarifying Health Department powers to isolate patients and to inspect homes, incoming travelers and baggage to curb an outbreak of swine flu. Officials say the decree gives clear legal authority to health department workers who might otherwise face lawsuits.

April 25th, 2009 WHO: Mexico swine flu has 'pandemic potential'GENEVA — An outbreak of swine flu in Mexico and the United States is a quickly evolving situation that has "pandemic potential," the head of the World Health Organization said Saturday before an emergency meeting of flu experts. WHO Director-General Margaret Chan said the North American outbreak of a never-before-seen virus was a very serious situation.

April 25th, 2009 WHO convenes emergency meeting on swine flu crisisGENEVA — The World Health Organization has called an emergency meeting of experts Saturday to consider declaring an international public health emergency over the swine flu outbreak believed to have killed dozens of people in Mexico and sickened at least seven in the U.S. It is the first time the WHO's Director-General Margaret Chan has convened such a crisis panel since the procedure was created almost two years ago, spokesman Gregory Hartl said.