WASHINGTON, July 19 (UPI) -- A severe bird flu outbreak in the United States would strain states beyond their ability to cope unless they reform their response systems, a new report says.
Governors would have a tough time just keeping basic services going, the report by the National Governors Association says.
As many as 40 percent of workers might stay home for up to 14 months, and outside help from the federal government or other states would be severely limited, stateline.org reports.
"The difference between a (bird flu) pandemic and (Hurricane) Katrina is, as huge as Katrina was, it was a localized event to a particular geographic region of the country," Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano, the association's vice chairwoman, said in the stateline.org report. "Therefore, resources -- first responders, National Guard, public safety -- could be deployed from all states over the country to the Gulf area, and they were."
The United States would not have that ability in a flu pandemic.
U.S. and state governments, as well as the medical community, have been getting ready for the deadly H5N1 strain of the avian flu that has infected 174 people and killed scores worldwide.
