03/03/2006

Gov. Rounds holds pandemic influenza summit
urges South Dakota to prepare

PIERRE, S.D. – Gov. Mike Rounds is calling together business, community, education, government and health care leaders on March 9 in Sioux Falls for South Dakota’s first statewide summit on pandemic influenza planning. Individuals from across the state have been invited to participate in the event which gets underway at 9 a.m. at the Ramkota Hotel and Conference Center.

“If history is any indication, we are due for another worldwide outbreak of influenza, or pandemic,” said Rounds. “When it will occur and whether it will be the bird flu virus currently circulating in the world or some other virus is unknown. We do know we all need to prepare for that possibility.”

Gov. Rounds will be joined at the summit by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt who will discuss the federal planning effort. Other state and federal officials are also expected to attend, including South Dakota native and current CDC Director Dr. Julie Gerberding.

“Pandemics are global in nature but their effects are always local, so I am pleased that Gov. Rounds is taking a leadership role to prepare South Dakota for this threat,” Secretary Leavitt said. “Pandemic planning needs to address how schools, businesses, public agencies, faith-based organizations and others participate in pandemic preparedness. With this meeting, local officials can identify needs specific to South Dakota communities and begin crucial coordination to assure readiness if a pandemic outbreak strikes.”

For those who are unable to attend the summit, it will be available via live webcast at http://flu.sd.gov/pandemic/.

“The 1918 Spanish flu pandemic killed more than 1,800 South Dakotans and was the leading cause of death in the state that year. While we can't predict whether the next pandemic will be that serious, we do know that planning and preparation are the only way to reduce the impact. That's why it's so important for every sector of our society, right down to individuals, to be planning and preparing,” said Secretary of Health Doneen Hollingsworth. “It's also important to recognize that even with planning, a severe pandemic will still mean illness and death.”

More information about pandemic influenza can be found on the Department of Health web site at http://flu.sd.gov/pandemic/.