White House: National emergency to handle A/H1N1 flu surge

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The U.S. President has declared the outbreak of the A/H1N1 flu a national emergency. The White House says this declaration will make it easier for medical facilities to handle a surge in patients.

And that's because it will allow some requirements of Medicare, Medicaid and other federal health insurance programs to be waived.

The US Center for Disease Control and Prevention says that the A/H1N1 flu is now widespread in 46 of the 50 states.

The virus has killed more than 1 thousand people and more than 20 thousand have had to be sent to hospital for treatment.