A Medical Emergency

Yes, the H1N1 flu is a medical emergency. If you don't believe it, go to the Flu Map at Weather Underground. There are only four states not reporting widespread flu activity: Connecticut, New Jersey, South Carolina, and Hawaii. As Jeff Masters comments:

I doubt the flu map has looked like this since 1968, the last time a flu pandemic swept the globe. ... [A] typical peak flu outbreak occurs in February or March, and at most twenty states are colored red.

The good news is, of course, that it is not at this point a particularly virulent strain. Just don't say that to the families of the now over 1,000 people who have died as a result of the H1N1 flu. No matter how you spin it, it is a major health concern that is not done yet. If it holds into the regular flu season, it could be a difficult illness and a long winter.