The World Health Organization has reported an outbreak of hundreds of cases of non-seasonal influenza, including the H1N1 Swine Flu, in the Federal District of Mexico City and the surrounding Mexican states, causing multiple deaths. The first potential case of H1N1 was detected in California on April 18, 2009, and was subsequently confirmed. Additional cases of the H1N1 Swine Flu have been detected in California, including two confirmed cases in Marin County, two probable cases in San Mateo County and four probable cases in Santa Clara County. Evidence to date from reported human infections in Mexico indicates that the H1N1 Swine Flu Virus has adapted itself to humans so that it can emerge and spread from one person to another. The World Health Organization has raised its pandemic alert for the H1N1 Swine Flu Virus to phase five, one step short of a full pandemic. The United States Department of Health and Human Services has declared a public health emergency, and President Obama has explained that the declaration was needed as a precautionary tool to make sure that the federal government has appropriate resources to combat the spread of the virus. The Governor declared a State of Emergency on April 28, 2009. On April 30, 2009, the County Manager as the Director of Emergency Services for the County of San Mateo proclaimed the existence or threatened existence of a local emergency. On May 5, 2009, the Board of Supervisors ratified the proclamation of local emergency.
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