| April 29, 2009 · Texas Governor Rick Perry has issued a state-wide disaster declaration over the swine flu outbreak. The declaration will allow the state to move more aggressively against the virus.
Governor Perry says the state-wide declaration comes not because there IS a state-wide pandemic, but to help the state prevent one. “Obviously the virus has not been detected in every county. But this step will move Texas to a higher state of alert and release resources to address the spread of the virus,” says Perry.
The governor’s declaration goes along with Monday’s request for 850,000 additional doses of antiviral medication from the Center for Disease Control’s Strategic National Stockpile. The medication – for now – is being administered to those confirmed cases and to any one who has come into contact with those patients.
The first U.S. swine flu death was in Texas. Department of State Health Services Commissioner Dr. David Lakey says there are two additional critical cases in state. “The second child is a 23-month-old that is in critical care in a hospital here in the state of Texas. And also, we have a third patient who is critically ill. This third patient is a pregnant woman who presented with respiratory distress and had to have an emergency c-section,” says Lakey.
Five Texas school districts have shut down completely because of the flu, keeping more than 53,000 kids at home. And today, the University Interscholastic League cancelled all of its sponsored competitions until at least May 11th. That includes spring sports like baseball and track and field along with academic events like the state’s One-Act play competition. | 
