It's not a question of if Illinois will see swine flu, but when cases will surface, Chicago Department of Public Health commissioner Dr. Terry Mason said Sunday.
On Sunday, federal officials amped up warnings of a possible global health epidemic, but no cases had yet been reported in Illinois.
"We definitely expect that will change given what we've seen elsewhere," Mason said at a news conference. "There's no reason to think ... that we won't eventually see it in the state of Illinois and the city of Chicago."
Meanwhile, the Illinois Department of Public Health promised to monitor any outbreak and urged precautions against the potentially deadly disease.
On Sunday, the U.S. declared a public health emergency to deal with the swine flu, reporting 20 domestic cases of the disease in five states, including California, Ohio, Texas, New York and Kansas. In Mexico, the disease has killed up to 86 people and likely sickened up to 1,400 since April 13.
"People who have recently traveled to impacted areas and have flu symptoms need to see a doctor and be tested so we can determine if swine flu is present in Illinois sooner rather than later," said Dr. Damon Arnold, the state public health department's director. "Aside from seeking medical attention, these people should stay home if sick."
Arnold suggested travelers returning from Mexico pay close attention to their health for around a week, and he recommended they see a doctor if they develop a fever, cough, sore throat or have trouble breathing.
"Many people travel from, to and through Illinois, and it is imperative to take precautions and protect against illness," Arnold said.
Public health officials at the same news conference said the Centers for Disease Control's permanent quarantine station at O'Hare International Airport was activated and engaged.
A spokesman for Chicago's Department of Aviation, which oversees O'Hare and Midway International Airport, declined to comment further.
On Sunday, multiple airlines, including Chicago-based United Airlines, waived change fees for passengers flying through Mexico because of the outbreak. According to its Web site, United said passengers who purchased tickets on or before Saturday, April 26 for travel through April 30 may change their plans without incurring a penalty.
Chicago Public Schools CEO Ron Huberman said Sunday that the nation's third largest school district would ask parents basic health questions when they call their children in sick. He said that information would be shared with the public health department.
On Saturday, Deerfield, Ill.-based drug maker Baxter International Inc. said it had asked the World Health Organization for a sample of the flu strain so it could work to develop a vaccine.
The company has patented technology that allows development of vaccines in half the time it usually takes — about 13 weeks instead of 26, Baxter spokesman Christopher Bona said.
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In photo: San Diego County micro-biologist Ayesha Khan does research on samples at the San Diego County Public Health lab in San Diego Sunday, April, 26, 2009. The agency is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the California Department of Public Health to determine how four people in San Diego county became infected with the swine flu. If the tests show a strain of the flu virus that is not recognized, the samples are sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to be further tested for the swine flu.
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