Illinois has flu drugs for 1 million people

SPRINGFIELD -- Illinois health officials say the state has enough flu drugs on hand to treat more than 1 million people, plus quick access to enough additional drugs to treat roughly 25 percent of its population outside Chicago.

An Associated Press survey found that more than half the states have yet to stockpile the number of flu-treatment drugs recommended by the federal government.

Chicago has its own stockpile of the drugs and earlier this week received an allotment from the federal emergency stockpile. Those drugs were delivered to 40 hospitals, said Chicago Department of Public Health spokesman Tim Hadac.

Hadac said the city won't discuss specific numbers "for security purposes."

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that each state have enough antiviral medicine on hand to treat one-quarter of its population.

Illinois can get up to that level within 12 hours with a request to the Strategic National Stockpile, state officials said.

In addition, pharmacies and hospitals have the prescription flu drugs in stock, officials said.

Dr. Ronald Hershow, associate professor of epidemiology at University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health, said the unpredictability of flu virus makes it "impossible for anyone to say with confidence that any amount (of stockpiled drugs) is adequate."