Calling on the City Council Committee on Public Health and Human Services to Hold Hearings to Investigate the City's Response Strategies to the Public Health Risks Posed by the Spread of Swine Flu.

WHEREAS

, President Obama said that the swine-flu outbreak - with origins in central Mexico - is a cause for "concern" but not "alarm,"; and

WHEREAS

, The Human outbreaks of swine flu - an illness caused by types of viruses that are typically endemic to pigs - can occur, but are typically rare; and

WHEREAS

, Previous public health concerns about swine flu in the United States were in 1976, when a soldier at Fort Dix died and millions of Americans were immunized as a precaution; and

WHEREAS

, The current outbreak of swine flu was confirmed in Mexico, with isolated U.S. cases; and

WHEREAS

, The disease spreads quickly among humans with symptoms developing quickly, and in Mexico the illness is killing previously healthy adults, primarily aged 25 to 45; and

WHEREAS

, The symptoms are fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills, fatigue, and occasionally diarrhea and vomiting; and

WHEREAS

, While there have been no reported cases in Pennsylvania, health officials in New Jersey said that they've identified five probable cases all among people who recently traveled to Mexico or California; and

WHEREAS

, On Monday April 27, 2009 Philadelphia health officials, including director of disease control Dr. Caroline Johnson, held a meeting to update staff on the flu and to organize a city response to it; and

WHEREAS

, City officials are said to be monitoring the situation; now therefore, be it,

RESOLVED

, That the Philadelphia City Council Calls on the Committee on Public Health and Human Services to hold hearings to Investigate the City's Response Strategies to the Public Health Risks Posed by the Spread of Swine Flu.

End