Homeland Security’s Napolitano: “Passive surveillance’ of US borders sufficient to contain flu

Gov’t: Stern border monitoring not yet necessary

WASHINGTON — Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano is arguing that “passive surveillance” of the U.S. border with Mexico is sufficient and that tougher monitoring measures are not yet necessary.

Napolitano did say in a nationally broadcast interview Tuesday that “we anticipate there will be more confirmed cases” around the country in the coming weeks.

But as for any further tightening at the various borders, she said “you have to look at what the costs of that are.” Napolitano said it’s important that commerce not be unnecessarily interrupted and said health experts do not believe sterner measures are warranted.

The secretary told NBC’s “Today” show that experts have said tougher border monitoring “would be marginal” in terms of containing the spread of the virus.