Obama declares A/H1N1 outbreak a national emergency

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US President Barack Obama has declared the A/H1N1 flu outbreak a national emergency. The declaration gives Obama's health chief new powers.

These include letting hospitals move emergency rooms offsite to protect non-infected patients.

The declaration was signed by President Obama on Friday night and announced on Saturday. It comes amid production delays for the flu's vaccine.

The delays threaten to undercut the government's estimates that as many as 120 million doses could be available by mid-October.

Administration officials said the declaration was a pre-emptive move aimed at easing hospitals' decision making. The A/H1N1 virus has killed more than one thousand people in the US.