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Summary

On April 29, 2009, in response to the global spread of a new strain of influenza, the World Health Organization (WHO) raised its influenza (flu) pandemic alert level to Phase 5, one level below declaring that a global influenza pandemic was underway. On June 11, as the virus continued to spread on several continents, WHO declared the outbreak to be an influenza pandemic (Phase 6). WHOs pandemic declaration is based on the geographic spread of the virus, not on a worsening of the severity of the illnesses it causes. Officials now believe the outbreak of the new flu strain began in Mexico in March 2009, or perhaps earlier. The novel H1N1 swine flu was first identified in California in late April. Health officials quickly linked the new virus to many of the illnesses in Mexico. Since then, cases have been reported around the world. As of June 11, 2009, almost 29,000 cases were reported in 74 countries, on all continents but Antarctica. Most of the reported cases are in Mexico, the United States, and Canada. However, increasing numbers of cases are now reported in Argentina, Chile, Australia, and other countries in the Southern Hemisphere, as their winter approaches and flu transmission becomes more efficient. Health officials note that reported cases likely represent only a fraction of actual infections. For example, a U.S. official commented in May that there may actually have been upwards of 100,000 cases thus far in the United States. Investigations to date suggest that human infections with the new flu strain are usually mild, although severe illnesses and deaths have been reported. This pattern is similar to the behavior of seasonal flu, which circulates the globe each year. It is also consistent with the likelihood of substantial underreporting, as noted above. Health officials continue to monitor the situation, saying that the efficiency of viral transmission and the severity of illness could change. When the outbreak began in late April, U.S. federal agencies adopted a pandemic response posture under the overall coordination of the Secretary of Homeland Security. Among other things, officials have released antiviral drugs from the national stockpile, and launched efforts to develop and manufacture a vaccine. The Obama Administration has requested about $9 billion in emergency supplemental appropriations and contingent budget transfer authorities to address the threat. House and Senate appropriators have included pandemic flu funding in pending FY2009 supplemental appropriations. Congressional committees in both chambers have convened hearings to assess the situation. This report first provides a synopsis of key events, actions taken, and authorities invoked by WHO, the U.S. federal government, and state and local governments. It then discusses the WHO process to determine the phase of a flu pandemic, and selected actions taken by the Departments of Homeland Security and Health and Human Services, and by state and local authorities. Next, it lists congressional hearings held to date, and provides information about appropriations and funding for pandemic flu activities. Finally, it summarizes U.S. government pandemic flu planning documents and lists sources for additional information about the situation as it unfolds. This report will be continually updated to reflect unfolding events.

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