Gov. Rounds Announces Statewide Pandemic Influenza Summit

Gov. Rounds Announces Statewide Pandemic Influenza Summit

Gov. Mike Rounds announced today that he will call a summit on pandemic influenza for business, community, education, government and health care leaders. The event is scheduled for March 9 at the Ramkota in Sioux Falls.

Gov. Rounds will lead the event with U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt and other federal health and preparedness officials. Secretary Leavitt is participating in a series of such state summits across the country.

"The experts tell us the world is due for another pandemic, or worldwide outbreak of influenza," said Gov. Rounds. "We don't know when it will be or whether it will be the bird flu circulating now in Asia and Turkey or some other virus. We do know that now is the time to prepare for that possibility."

The Department of Health has already developed a pandemic flu plan and other state agencies have also been working on the issue. However, the summit will be South Dakota's first statewide gathering to address pandemic flu planning and will give a broad range of organizations an opportunity to participate in the process.

"By definition, pandemic influenza is a new strain, which means people won't have immunity to it," said Rounds. "The high numbers of cases and deaths will mean significant economic and social disruption. Because the impact goes far beyond the health care community, the planning also needs to go beyond health care."

Rounds said invitations will be extended to local governments, first responders, business leaders, educators, health care providers, faith-based organizations, volunteer organizations, policy makers and others.

Details for the summit are being worked out with Secretary Leavitt's office and will be posted on the Department of Health pandemic flu web site, flu.sd.gov/pandemic, as they become available.

http://www.state.sd.us/governor/