Germany kills hundreds of pigs as dioxin troubles spread

German authorities ordered hundreds of pigs slaughtered after tests at one farm showed the animals had elevated levels of dioxin in their systems.

This is the first instance of evidence that the contamination has spread beyond poultry and eggs, according to authorities, who had already halted pork sales as a precaution when the contamination was first discovered. "We were specifically investigating this farm because they had bought their livestock feed from Harles & Jentzsch, the company that delivered tainted feed to all the other farms that had to be banned," said Lower Saxony's Agriculture Minister Gert Hahne.

The investigation into both Harles & Jentzsch and potentially infected farms continues, with 558 of the original 4,700 targeted farms remaining closed.

Phil. Gov’t bans imports of pork, poultry from S. Korea & Taiwan

From: Business World
http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=6281&src=2


THE GOVERNMENT has banned importation of pork from South Korea, as well as poultry and live birds from the same country and Taiwan, an Agriculture official said over the weekend.

Davinio P. Catbagan, director of the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), said in a phone interview that the ban on pork, poultry products and live birds from South Korea was issued last Jan. 5, while the one on poultry and live birds from Taiwan was issued Jan. 26.
He attributed the ban to reports of outbreaks of foot and mouth disease (FMD) as well as low-pathogenic avian influenza, or bird flu, in those economies.

Last Jan. 30, South Korea reported its sixth FMD case in a cattle farm north of Seoul.
The same country reported last Jan. 26 that tests conducted in December last year confirmed that about 26,000 ducks in a farm in Seosan City were infected with the H5 strain of bird flu.
Taiwan, on the other hand, reported on Jan. 21 that 7,000 chickens in a farm in Changhua County, Taiwan died of the virus.

Last year, the Philippines imported 114.36 million kilograms of pork, 7.6% of which came from South Korea. But the Philippines does not import poultry or poultry products from either South Korea or Taiwan.

BAI data show that the local livestock sector lost about P2.3 billion to FMD between 1995-2005. The country has not had any reported case of the disease since then.

The Philippines has a pending application with the World Organization for Animal Health for "FMD-free without vaccination" status for Luzon -- the remaining part of the country without such certification.

H1N1 flu found in South Korean pigs

South Korea confirmed that pigs infected with H1N1 flu have been found at domestic farms.

Infections were confirmed at five pig farms in Gyeonggi and North Gyeongsang provinces, the agriculture ministry said.

'For the first time we confirmed the presence of H1N1 flu in locally-raised pigs. We have... restricted movement of pigs in the areas,' a ministry spokesman told AFP.

The ministry has also found infections of the (A)H1N1 virus among pigs imported on November 11 from Canada, he said. An investigation is still under way to determine whether infections have spread from humans to pigs, it said.

'The virus appeared to have spread from humans to pigs,' Konkuk University veterinary professor Ryu Yong-Soo told Yonhap news agency.

Ministry officials, however, say pork is safe to eat as people cannot get flu from eating pork or pork products. A total of 117 people with the virus have died in South Korea.

Pork imports from US not banned, traders say

By Riza T. Olchondra
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 09:01:00 05/09/2009

Filed Under: Swine Flu, Foreign Aid
MANILA, Philippines—The Philippines has not banned pork and pork products from the US after all, according to industry leaders both in the US and in the Philippines.

This, despite the Department of Agriculture’s announcement in late April that it would restrict the entry of pork and pork products from countries with an outbreak of A(H1N1) virus as “a precautionary measure.”

“The Philippines has decided not to impose restrictions on US pork imports contrary to previous announcements,” US Meat Export Federation (USMEF) communications director Joe Schuele said in a report.

“The Philippines has decided to only ban pork imports from Canada due to the detection of the H1N1 virus in a swine herd in Alberta,” he said.

Canada reported the world’s first case of a human transmitting the new influenza virus to swine.

Schuele called it “a bit of good news” as US meat exporters were still reeling from bans imposed by major markets Russia and China.

The US is also worried about economic disruptions resulting from the A(H1N1) outbreak in Mexico, also a major market for these US products, even though the country remains “fully open” to US pork and beef.

The Philippine Association of Meat Processors Inc. (PAMPI) confirmed that its members may still import pork from the US “if there is a need.”

“There was some restraint in the sense that the applications for importation submitted by members took more time for processing recently but now they are progressing,” PAMPI executive director Francisco Buencamino said in an interview. “As far as I know the import restriction applies more to Alberta, Canada.”

Buencamino, however, could not say how much US pork was to be imported for canned goods and other processed meat products but said it was “minimal.”

“We also source locally so we don’t need to import so much from the US,” he said.

Buencamino also declined to comment on why the supposed import ban did not push through.

Pork export bans on flu fears unjustified: O.I.E.

(MEATPOULTRY.com, May 07, 2009)
by Bryan Salvage

PARIS — After several countries imposed trade restrictions on countries exporting pigs or products of pork origin that have declared human cases related to the new A/H1N1 influenza, the World Organization for Animal Health (O.I.E.) charged imposing such bans do not comply with international standards published by the O.I.E. and all other competent standard-setting international bodies for animal health and food safety.

On May 5, the first transmission of"A/H1N1" virus from human to pigs in a single herd was officially notified to the O.I.E. by Canada. The virus is the novel influenza virus "A/H1N1", but the disease linked with the "classical" swine influenza virus is different and is not notifiable to the O.I.E. since it is mild in pigs and the infection only rarely seriously affects humans.

"The O.I.E. will develop appropriate standards for this emerging disease," the organization said in a statement. "In the meantime, and until new standards have been adopted by its 174 member countries and territories, the O.I.E. recommends all animals from the currently infected Canadian farm be maintained in strict isolation and that quarantine from the farm not be lifted until it has been rigorously demonstrated by the Veterinary Services of the country concerned that there are no pigs infected with the "A/H1N1" virus at the farm. This recommendation would also apply to any other country that should experience a similar situation."

The O.I.E. iterated its recommendations already published jointly with W.H.O., F.A.O. and the W.T.O on May 2 regarding the safety of pork and pork products.

China bans pork from 17 more U.S. states on apparent flu fears

By Tom Johnston on 5/5/2009
MeatingPlace.com

China on Monday banned pork from 17 more U.S. states amid the 2009 H1N1 virus outbreak, according to USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service.

The recent action brings to 36 the number of U.S. states that China has banned since late April. The latest were the states of Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah and Wisconsin.

The ban applies to fresh/frozen and heat-treated pork and pork products derived from swine raised or slaughtered in those states on or after May 3.

Meanwhile, Russia was among a number of other Eastern countries to add to or implement new bans following the flu outbreak.

On Monday, Russia announced that beef, poultry and pork produced on or after May 2 in South Carolina, except for heat-treated product, is ineligible. It has placed similar bans on at least 10 U.S. states since the outbreak began.

Kyrgyzstan on Monday banned all U.S. meat and poultry, while Uzbekistan banned all U.S. pork and pork products.

Pork safety

International health officials have reiterated that people cannot contract the H1N1 virus from eating pork and other meats.

Over the weekend, the World Health Organization, Food and Agriculture Organization, World Organization for Animal Health and World Trade Organization issued a joint statement to that effect.

"In light of the spread of influenza A/H1N1 and the rising concerns about the possibility of this virus being found in pigs and the safety of pork and pork products, we stress that pork and pork products, handled in accordance with good hygienic practices … will not be a source of infection," the groups said.

The statement also urged veterinary authorities to work with human health counterparts to monitor pig herds and look for any signs of illness that may be linked to human cases of A/H1N1 influenza. On Monday, the United Nations also called on countries to carefully monitor their pig herds after pigs in Canada were infected.

Canada

Canada also has been the subject of numerous trade bans, most recently implemented by China. Philippines, Singapore, Honduras and several other countries also have closed their borders to Canadian pork.

Canada's biggest pork export markets, including the United States and Japan, have not followed suit. South Korea has banned live hogs from Canada.

Pig industry confirms ‘Pork is Safe’

“Pork is safe to eat and handle,” the US pork industry continues to assure people in the wake of a report from Canada that pigs in an Alberta pork operation contracted an H1N1 virus.

A worker who recently visited Mexico – and became ill with flu-like symptoms – is suspected of transmitting the virus to a pig.

“People cannot get the flu from eating or handling pork,” said Dr. Jennifer Greiner, director of science and technology for the National Pork Producers Council. “The flu is a respiratory illness, it’s not a food-borne illness.”

According to the World Health Organization, the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the US Departments of Agriculture, Health and Human Services and Homeland Security the H1N1 flu strain that has been contracted by a number of people worldwide cannot be transmitted by eating or handling pork; it does not pose a threat to the safety of food.

Early yesterday, the World Trade Organization, the OIE and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization issued a joint statement saying pork is safe. USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack issued a statement after hearing about the situation in canada, “This is not a food-borne illness. The American food supply is safe and pork and pork products are safe.”

Swine flu crisis: summary of latest updates

From: Agence France-Presse | 05/04/2009 9:27 PM

Latest snapshot of the swine flu crisis, as of May 4, 2009, 18:52 GMT +0800

Main events of the past 24 hours in the swine flu crisis:

- Mexican authorities say the country is finally getting the upper hand on the A(H1N1) flu epidemic, and is poised to lift an economically crippling clampdown on public venues and activities on Wednesday.

- World Health Organisation chief Margaret Chan warned in a newspaper interview that that an apparent decline in mortality rates did not mean the pandemic was coming to an end and a second wave may strike "with a vengeance."

- Mexico was to send a plane to pick up its nationals in China, which has put 70 Mexicans into quarantine out of fear of swine flu, prompting a diplomatic storm.

- The WHO said 20 countries have reported 985 cases of A(H1N1), including 25 deaths in Mexico and one in the United States.

- US health authorities said swine flu was now present in more than half the nation's states with 226 confirmed infections in 30 states.

- El Salvador and Colombia joined the list of countries with cases of swine flu, as the number of Spanish cases climbed to 40 and France reported two new cases.

- Egyptian veterinary authorities pressed on with a nationwide programme to slaughter the country's entire pig population, a day after clashes erupted with protesting pig farmers.

An overview of the current swine flu crisis:

OVERALL: The World Health Organisation says 20 countries have officially reported 985 cases of influenza A(H1N1) infections and 26 deaths.

WHO figures may differ from national authorities.

DEATHS

------

Mexico: 25 (government says 22)

United States: 1

CONFIRMED INFECTIONS (including the deaths)

--------------------

Mexico: 590 (government says 568)

United States: 226

Canada: 85 (government says 100)

Spain: 40 (government says 44)

Britain: 15 (government says 18)

Germany: 8 (government says six)

New Zealand: 4 (government says six)

Israel: 3 (government says four)

France: 2 (government says four)

El Salvador: 2

Austria: 1

Hong Kong: 1

Costa Rica: 1 (government says two)

Colombia: 1

Denmark: 1

Ireland: 1

Italy: 1 (government says two)

Netherlands: 1

South Korea: 1

Switzerland 1

NATIONS WITH PARTIAL OR TOTAL BANS ON PORK IMPORTS: Bahrain, Belarus, Chad, China, Croatia, Ecuador, Gabon, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Macedonia, Montenegro, Lebanon, Russia, Serbia, South Korea, Thailand, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates. Egypt has ordered the slaughter of pigs reared on its territory.

NATIONS WHICH HAVE SUSPENDED FLIGHTS TO MEXICO: Cuba. Argentina, China and Peru have banned flights from Mexico, prompting Mexico to advise Mexican citizens to avoid travel to China -- where dozens of Mexicans have been quarantined despite not showing symptoms, prompting a diplomatic row.

The WHO has not recommended travel restrictions or the closing of borders.

CDC H1N1 Flu Update

Update on Situation

CDC continues to take aggressive action to respond to an expanding outbreak caused by novel H1N1 flu.

CDC’s response goals are to:

Reduce transmission and illness severity, and
Provide information to help health care providers, public health officials and the public address the challenges posed by this emergency.
CDC continues to issue and update interim guidance daily in response to the rapidly evolving situation. CDC will issue updated interim guidance for clinicians on how to identify and care for people who are sick with novel H1N1 flu illness. This guidance will provide priorities for testing and treatment for novel H1N1 flu infection. The priority use for influenza antiviral drugs during this outbreak will be to treat people with severe flu illness.
CDC has completed deployment of 25 percent of the supplies in the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) to all states in the continental United States. These supplies and medicines will help states and U.S. territories respond to the outbreak. In addition, the Federal Government and manufacturers have begun the process of developing a vaccine against the novel H1N1 flu virus.
Response actions are aggressive, but they may vary across states and communities depending on local circumstances. Communities, businesses, places of worship, schools and individuals can all take action to slow the spread of this outbreak. People who are sick are urged to stay home from work or school and to avoid contact with others, except to seek medical care. This action can avoid spreading illness further.

U.S. Human Cases of H1N1 Flu Infection

As of 11:00 AM ET on May 4, 2009, CDC has confirmed 279 human cases and 1 death in 36 states:

Alabama: 4
Arizona: 17
California: 30
Colorado: 7
Connecticut: 2
Delaware: 20
Florida: 5
Idaho: 1
Illinois: 8
Indiana: 3
Iowa: 1
Kansas: 2
Kentucky: 1 (resident of Kentucky but currently hospitalized in Georgia)
Louisiana: 7
Maryland: 4
Massachusetts: 6
Michigan: 2
Minnesota: 1
Missouri: 1
Nebraska: 1
Nevada: 1
New Hampshire: 1
New Jersey: 7
New Mexico: 1
New York: 73
North Carolina: 1
Ohio: 3
Oregon: 3
Pennsylvania: 1
Rhode Island: 1
South Carolina: 15
Tennessee: 1
Texas: 41 (and 1 death)
Utah: 1
Virginia: 3
Wisconsin: 3
For more information, see the CDC H1N1 Flu website.

International Human Cases of H1N1 Flu Infection

For information about the global situation, see the World Health Organization website.

What You Can Do to Stay Healthy

Stay informed. This website will be updated regularly as information becomes available.
Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people.
Take everyday actions to stay healthy.
Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
Stay home if you get sick. CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
Follow public health advice regarding school closures, avoiding crowds and other social distancing measures.
Call 1-800-CDC-INFO for more information.
For more information on what you can to stay safe and healthy, check the CDC H1N1 Flu website.

Additional Updates on the CDC H1N1 Flu Website

To learn about other updates made to the CDC H1N1 Flu Website in the past 24 hours, please check the "What's New" page on the CDC H1N1 Flu website.

Canada: Alberta finds H1N1 virus in hog herd

(MEATPOULTRY.com, May 04, 2009)
by Bryan Salvage

OTTAWA, ONTARIO — Although the H1N1 flu virus has been found in a swine herd in Alberta by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, the food supply is not affected and Canadian pork continues to be safe to eat, C.F.I.A. said.

It is believed that the pigs were exposed to the virus from a Canadian carpenter who had recently returned from Mexico and had been exhibiting flu-like symptoms, according to C.F.I.A. Signs of illness were subsequently observed in the pigs. The individual has recovered and all of the pigs are recovering or have already recovered.

The C.F.I.A. is taking a precautionary approach while further testing is needed to more fully characterize the virus. The herd has been placed under quarantine, and the agency is working with public health colleagues to determine the most appropriate next steps to ensure that public and animal health remain protected. The chance these pigs could transfer the virus to a person is remote, the agency said.

Influenza viruses do not affect the safety of pork, previously added the World Health Organization, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and other scientific bodies.

Canadian pigs are tested for influenza viruses on an ongoing basis across the country during routine investigations into respiratory illnesses. The C.F.I.A. has been working with provinces, territories, the swine industry and private sector veterinarians to enhance monitoring of swine herds for signs of illness and to maintain enhanced biosecurity measures on farms across the country.

This news has not changed doing business with the U.S. "First and foremost, this detection does not change the situation here in the United States," iterated Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

No sick swine have left the Alberta farm and the animals and premises have been quarantined, Mr. Vilsack added. "We are working closely with our C.F.I.A. counterparts to be kept abreast of the situation, and will await the final confirmatory test results, which could take anywhere from five days to two weeks," he said. "Canada has handled this situation appropriately and taken the necessary steps and precautions.

"(This) discovery will not impact our borders or trading with Canada," Mr. Vilsack continued. "As prescribed by the World Organization for Animal Health guidelines, any trade restrictions must be based on science so at this time, we are awaiting confirmatory test results before considering any action."

The Associated Press recently wrote that China has now expanded its ban on imported pork and pork products to include those from Alberta. A notice on China’s web site states pigs or pork products sent to China from Alberta after the declaration would be destroyed. Shipments already in the country will be released only after being certified as safe. China's government has already banned imports of pork and pork products from Mexico and a handful of U.S. states.

USA Import ban on pork lifted, except Canada

By Maila Ager
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 15:01:00 05/04/2009

MANILA, Philippines – The government has lifted the import ban on pork products from countries with cases of the deadly A(H1N1) virus, except in Canada, Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap said Monday.

“There is no outbreak of swine influenza… We can’t call this a swine flu problem that’s why today [Monday], I instructed the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) to lift the temporary suspension on the importation of meat products,” Yap told reporters at the Senate, on the sidelines of a hearing on the A(H1N1) virus.

Yap said the ban on pork products from Canada was not lifted since authorities there were checking the possible transmission of the A(H1N1) from a human to a pig.

Last week, the government banned pork imports from Canada, the United States, and Mexico amid fears over the spread of A(H1N1), a strain of swine flu which is transmissible from human-to-human.

Health officials had said that humans could not contract A(H1N1) by eating infected meat. The virus is transmitted from human-to-human through droplets emitted when coughing or sneezing.

During the hearing on Monday, Doctor Davinio Catbagan, director of the Bureau of Animal Industry, said the agency would consult with the science community and experts to determine whether or not they could impose a mandatory vaccination on pigs against swine flu.

“What we are saying now is not all farms are vaccinating but maybe we can increase the dosage of the coverage area because there was a time that the use of swine influenza vaccine in pigs has not been monitored,” Catbagan told a hearing by the joint committees of health and trade on the A(H1N1) virus.

“But I think a mandatory [vaccination] for a wider population of the 13.7 million pigs all over the country could be considered,” he said.

Renato Eleria, chairman of the National Federation of Hog Farmers, who was also at the hearing, said he was “open” to Catnagan’s proposal.

CDC H1N1 Flu Update

Update on Situation

CDC continues to take aggressive action to respond to an expanding outbreak caused by H1N1 (swine flu).

CDC’s response goals are to:

Reduce transmission and illness severity, and
Provide information to help health care providers, public health officials and the public address the challenges posed by this emergency.
CDC continues to issue and update interim guidance daily in response to the rapidly evolving situation. This includes guidance on when to close schools and how to care for someone who is sick at home. Supplies from CDC’s Division of the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) are being sent to all 50 states and U.S. territories to help them respond to the outbreak. In addition, the Federal Government and manufacturers have begun the process of developing a vaccine against this new virus.

Response actions are aggressive, but they may vary across states and communities depending on local circumstances. Communities, businesses, places of worship, schools and individuals can all take action to slow the spread of this outbreak. People who are sick are urged to stay home from work or school and to avoid contact with others, except to seek medical care. This action can avoid spreading illness further.

U.S. Human Cases of H1N1 Flu Infection

As of 11:30 AM ET on May 2, 2009, CDC has confirmed 160 human cases and 1 death in 21 states:

Arizona: 4
California: 24
Colorado: 2
Connecticut: 1
Delaware: 4
Florida: 2
Illinois: 3
Indiana: 3
Kansas: 2
Kentucky: 1 (case is a resident of Kentucky but currently hospitalized in Georgia)
Massachusetts: 6
Michigan: 2
Minnesota: 1
Missouri: 1
Nevada: 1
New Jersey: 7
New York: 51
Ohio: 1
South Carolina: 13
Texas: 28 (and 1 death)
Virginia: 2

For more information, see the CDC H1N1 Flu website.

International Human Cases of H1N1 Flu Infection

For information about the global situation, see the World Health Organization website.

What You Can Do to Stay Healthy

Stay informed. This website will be updated regularly as information becomes available.
Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people.
Take everyday actions to stay healthy.
Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
Stay home if you get sick. CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
Follow public health advice regarding school closures, avoiding crowds and other social distancing measures.
Develop a family emergency plan as a precaution. This should include storing a supply of food, medicines, facemasks, alcohol-based hand rubs and other essential supplies.
Call 1-800-CDC-INFO for more information.

Pork export bans expected to be temporary

(MEATPOULTRY.com, May 01, 2009)
by Bryan Salvage


WASHINGTON — Restrictions placed on U.S. pork exports by certain nations due to concerns about the H1N1 virus are expected to be temporary, stated the National Pork Producers Council.

"The restrictions should be short-lived because U.S. and international authorities have made it clear that the H1N1 virus is transmitted through human contact and that pork is 100%safe to consume," said Nick Giordano, N.P.P.C. vice-president and
international trade counsel. "N.P.P.C. has been in constant contact with U.S. trade officials, and U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom
Vilsack and U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Ron Kirk have been busy working the phones with our trading partners. It is imperative that our trade officials stop the export bleeding now."

The World Health Organization has named the virus, also now known as the 2009 H1N1 flu, "Influenza A." The World Organization for Animal Health (O.I.E.) said the H1N1 influenza should never have been named "swine" flu and there is no justification for the imposition of trade measures on the importation of pigs or their products. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security all confirm there are no food safety issues with the virus and that it is not in the U.S. hog herd.

Despite those facts, Ukraine, St. Lucia, Indonesia, United Arab Emirates, Thailand, Honduras and Croatia have banned U.S. pork imports. Russia and China, which are significant markets for U.S. pork exports, and Kazakhstan have banned U.S. pork from certain states, N.P.P.C. said.

"The U.S. pork industry maintains the capacity to serve the Chinese and Russian markets from non-restricted states," Mr. Giordano said. "The other nations account for only a very small percentage of U.S. pork exports."

Mr. Giordano pointed out while the current export restrictions are manageable, it will be difficult to withstand the loss of further markets. The U.S. pork industry already has lost money for 19 straight months as a result of high input costs, with producers losing an average of $20 per hog marketed, he added.

US exports affected as ‘swine flu’ changes name

From: PigProgress.net

The National Pork Producers Council has said it expects the restrictions placed on US pork exports by certain nations due to concerns about the H1N1 virus to be temporary.

“The restrictions should be short lived because US and international authorities have made it clear that the H1N1 virus is transmitted through human contact and that pork is 100% safe to consume,” said NPPC Vice President and International Trade Counsel Nick Giordano. “NPPC has been in constant contact with US trade officials, and US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and US Trade Representative Ambassador Ron Kirk have been busy working the phones with our trading partners. It is imperative that our trade officials stop the export bleeding now.”

'Swine Flu' unjustified
The World Health Organization (WHO) have now named the virus “Influenza A,” and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) said the H1N1 influenza should never have been named “swine” flu and there is no justification for the imposition of trade measures on the importation of pigs or their products. The US Department of Agriculture, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the US Department of Homeland Security all confirm there are no food safety issues with the virus and that it is not in the US hog herd.

Despite those facts, Ukraine, St. Lucia, Indonesia, United Arab Emirates, Thailand, Honduras and Croatia have banned US pork imports. Russia and China, which are significant markets for US pork exports, and Kazakhstan have banned US pork from certain states.

“The US pork industry maintains the capacity to serve the Chinese and Russian markets from non-restricted states,” Giordano said. “The other nations account for only a very small percentage of US pork exports.”

Pork export restrictions
While the current export restrictions are manageable, Giordano pointed out, it will be difficult to withstand the loss of further markets. The US pork industry already has lost money for 19 straight months as a result of high input costs, with producers losing an average of $20 per hog marketed.

Pork exports in 2008 accounted for more than 20% of total US pork production, contributed approximately $48 per hog harvested and supported more than 65,000 US jobs. The creation of new export opportunities and the maintenance of existing export markets are critical to the sustainability of the US pork industry.

Related website
• NPPC
• World Health Organization (WHO)
• World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)

Varied foreign reactions to flu continue to emerge

By Janie Gabbett on 4/29/2009
MeatingPlace.com


As each day passes since the outbreak of the new hybrid Type A/H1N1 influenza virus that originated in Mexico, more countries are taking varied actions relative to pork and swine from North America, often seemingly based on misinformation and fear.

To repeat: There has been no connection established between swine and the new virus. No hogs in North America have been found to carry the new virus. People cannot contract either swine flu or this new virus from eating pork.

Here are some of the most recent reactions:

South Korea said Tuesday it will ban live pig imports from North America as a precaution, according to Yonhap. In 2008 South Korea imported about 1,800 pigs from all sources.

Egypt ordered the slaughter of all the roughly 300,000 pigs in the country Wednesday, according to media reports.

The list of countries banning either all pork or raw pork imports from at least some U.S. states has grown to include: Thailand, Ecuador, Honduras and St. Lucia, Bahrain, China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Macedonia, Philippines, United Arab Emirates, Lebanon and Indonesia, according to USTR and media reports.
While the list looks long, key U.S. pork importers such as Japan, Mexico, Canada, South Korea and Hong Kong have not restricted imports.

South Korean Food and agriculture minister Chang Tae-pyong told reporters that experts were in agreement that the disease could not be transmitted through the consumption of meat and concerns about pig intestines being a threat were unfounded.

"Seoul has taken swift and concrete steps to deal with the outbreak, but it must not take any action that can cause unwarranted social fear," Yonhap quoted him as saying.


Mexican concern

Mexico is a key market for U.S. pork. While some analysts find it hard to believe that country would ban U.S. pork, there is concern that some Mexican and U.S. consumers might stop eating pork, based on the name association, as the new virus is still widely being dubbed "swine flu."

In a note to investors, Barclays Capital analyst Christopher Bledsoe made the point that consumers in affected countries during the 2005/2006 Avian Flu outbreaks reacted by cutting their consumption, even though properly cooked chicken was not a danger to humans.

Mexico outbreak traced to 'manure lagoons' at pig farm

from: TimesOnline.co.uk
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article6182789.ece

The first known case of swine flu emerged a fortnight earlier than previously thought in a village where residents have long complained about the smell and flies from a nearby pig farm, it emerged last night.

The Mexican Government said it initially thought that the victim, Edgar Hernandez, 4, was suffering from ordinary influenza but laboratory testing has since shown that he had contracted swine flu. The boy went on to make a full recovery, although it is thought that at least 148 others in Mexico have died from the disease, and the number is expected to rise.

News of the infected boy is expected to create controversy in Mexico because the boy lived in Veracruz state, home to thousands of farmers who claim that their land was stolen from them by the Mexican Government in 1992. The farmers, who call themselves Los 400 Pueblos – The 400 Towns – are famous for their naked marches through the streets of Mexico City.

The boy’s hometown, La Gloria, is also close to a pig farm that raises almost 1 million animals a year. The facility, Granjas Carroll de Mexico, is partly owned by Smithfield Foods, a Virginia-based US company and the world’s largest producer and processor of pork products. Residents of La Gloria have long complained about the clouds of flies that are drawn the so-called “manure lagoons” created by such mega-farms, known in the agriculture business as Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs).

A spokeswoman for Smithfield, Keira Ullrich, said that the company had found no clinical signs or symptoms of the presence of swine influenza in its swine herd or its employees working at its joint ventures anywhere in Mexico. Meanwhile, Mexico’s National Organisation of Pig Production and Producers released its own statement, saying: “We deny completely that the influenza virus affecting Mexico originated in pigs because it has been scientifically demonstrated that this is not possible.”

According reports gathered on the website of James Wilson, a founding member of the Biosurveillance Indication and Warning Analysis Community (BIWAC), about 60 per cent of La Gloria’s 3,000-strong population have sought medical assistance since February.

“Residents claimed that three pediatric cases, all under two years of age, died from the outbreak,” wrote Mr Wilson. “However, officials stated that there was no direct link between the pediatric deaths and the outbreak; they said the three fatal cases were isolated and not related to each other.”

The case of the four-year-old boy was announced yesterday by Mexico’s Health Minister, Jose Angel Cordova, at a press conference that was briefly interrupted by an earthquake. “We are at the most critical moment of the epidemic. The number of cases will keep rising so we have to reinforce preventive measures,” he said, adding that in addition to the 149 deaths another 2,000 had been hospitalised with “grave pneumonia”, although at least half of that number had since made a full recovery.

Mr Cordova went on to say that there have been no new cases detected in La Gloria but epidemiologists want to take a closer look at pigs in Mexico as a potential source of the outbreak.

As the desease spread Greater Mexico City, usually a chaotic, traffic-snarled megatropolis of 22 million – where braised pork or carnitas, is prepared at taco stands on busy street corners – remained at a virtual standstill yesterday.

A majority of people are now wearing surgical masks and or plastic gloves in public. Airport terminals are deserted. Schools and government offices are closed and will remain so until at least early May – creating a childcare crisis for millions of working parents.

Many Mexicans are fearing the economic devastation caused by the health emergency as much as they are the prospect of swine flu. Adding to the misery, several countries including China have banned imports of live pigs and pork products from Mexico (and parts of the US) in spite of claims by farming trade groups that it is impossible to catch the virus from cooked meat.

Phils - Sick pigs detected in four Pangasinan towns; alert up

At least 80 percent of pigs in four town in Pangasinan were believed to have been infected with a disease, forcing local authorities to set up 12 quarantine checkpoints around the province.

abs-cbnNEWS.com | 04/29/2009 7:49 AM

Dr. Benedicto Perez of the provincial veterinary office said 80 percent of pigs from the town of Bugallon, Aguilar, Binmaley and Lingayen have become sick.

Perez said the pigs were afflicted with the Porcine Respiratory Reproductive Syndrome (PRRS). He said the veterinary office was able to immediately contain the disease, but they would need to continuously monitor the affected hog farms.

"Nagamot ang strain na ito at continuous ang monitoring," he said.

Dr. Hildo Fabros, technical director of the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) in Ilocos region, said they have already dispatched personnel to check all hogs being delivered into the province.

Fabros said all delivery trucks are being asked to issue veterinary shipping permits and meat inspection certificates from piggery farms.

He said the NMIS had been conducting stricter inspections since the swine flu broke out in Mexico, where 149 people have died due to the virus.

Reports said a total of 65 cases of swine flu infections have been detected in United States, 13 in Canada, and new cases in Israel and New Zealand. With a report from Cris Zuniga, ABS-CBN North Luzon

Update from CDC regarding Swine Flu

The human swine flu outbreak continues to grow in the United States and internationally. Today, CDC reports additional cases of confirmed swine influenza and a number of hospitalizations of swine flu patients. Internationally, the situation is more serious too, with additional countries reporting confirmed cases of swine flu. In response to the intensifying outbreak, the World Health Organization raised the worldwide pandemic alert level to Phase 4. A Phase 4 alert is characterized by confirmed person-to-person spread of a new influenza virus able to cause “community-level” outbreaks.” The increase in the pandemic alert phase indicates that the likelihood of a pandemic has increased.

U.S. Human Cases of Swine Flu Infection

As of 11:00 AM ET on April 28, the CDC has confirmed 64 human cases of swine flu infection in the United States:

California: 10 cases
Kansas: 2 cases
New York City: 45 cases
Ohio: 1 case
Texas: 6 cases

Yesterday, CDC issued a travel warning recommending that people avoid non-essential travel to Mexico. CDC continues to issue interim guidance daily on the website and through health alert network notices. CDC’s Division of the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) is releasing one-quarter of its antiviral drugs, personal protective equipment, and respiratory protection devices to help states respond to the outbreak. The swine influenza A (H1N1) virus is susceptible to the prescription antiviral drugs oseltamivir and zanamivir. This is a rapidly evolving situation and CDC will provide updated guidance and new information as it becomes available.

For more information, see the CDC Swine Flu website.

International Human Cases of Swine Flu Infection

For information about investigation into cases outside the United States, see the World Health Organization website.


What You Can Do to Stay Healthy?

There are everyday actions people can take to stay healthy.

Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.

Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.

Try to avoid close contact with sick people.

'Swine Flu' Wrong Name

By Pork news staff | Monday, April 27, 2009

The influenza virus spreading around the world should not be called swine flu says the World Animal Health body. A more logical name for it would be "North American influenza", a name based on its geographic origin, the group suggests.

The organization points out that the virus that is responsible for the current outbreak also contains avian and human components. In addition, no pigs were found ill with the disease as of Monday.

"The virus has not been isolated in animals to date,” the Paris-based organization said in a statement. “Therefore, it is not justified to name this disease swine influenza."

Fears of the outbreak are growing around the world after 103 people were killed in Mexico and new infections were found in the United States and Canada. Possible cases from Europe, Israel and New Zealand have been reported.

The OIE warned that if the virus was shown to cause disease in animals, disease spread could worsen and further hurt fragile world economies. Grain and oilseed markets fell sharply on concern that the outbreak could reduce feed demand for pigs.

Pig industry responds to swine flu outbreak

from PigProgress.net

As the human toll rises, the pig industry is being quick to respond to the global impact of the swine flu originating in Mexico, in order to deter any lasting impact on the industry.

The National Pork Board is assuring consumers pork is, and will remain, safe to eat. "Swine influenza viruses are not spread by food. You cannot get swine influenza from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly-handled and cooked-pork products is safe," the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention states on its web site.

No contact with pigs
Although the virus is contagious, it spreads from humans to humans. CDC has found no evidence indicating any of the US illnesses resulted from contact with pigs — and no pigs have been found to be infected or sick with this particular virus in the US Meanwhile the World Animal Health body stated on Monday that the flu virus spreading around the world should not be called "swine flu" as it also contains avian and human components and no pig was found ill with the disease so far.

As a precaution the NPB is urging producers to enhance biosecurity plans on their farms. Swine influenza, or "swine flu", is a highly contagious acute respiratory disease of pigs, caused by one of several swine influenza A viruses, according to the World Health Organization.

Swine influenza subtypes
Swine influenza viruses are most commonly of the H1N1 subtype, but other subtypes are also circulating in pigs (e.g., H1N2, H3N1, H3N2). Although swine influenza viruses are normally species specific and only infect pigs, they do sometimes cross the species barrier to cause disease in humans, WHO relays. At present, it is unknown if this new strain causes any type of illness in swine.

Since it is unique, NPB said following good biosecurity practices would help producers to prevent introducing the new strain of swine influenza virus type H1N1 into US operations.

Report pig illness
Anyone witnessing or hearing employees report respiratory illness in pigs should immediately contact a swine veterinarian. If deemed necessary, a veterinarian may require samples be taken from animals to send to veterinary diagnostic laboratories. If animals present fever or go off feed, the veterinarian may take lung tissue samples and nasal swabs to send to a veterinary diagnostic laboratory.

Smithfield Foods has stated that it has found no clinical signs or symptoms of the presence of swine influenza in the company's swine herd or its employees at its joint ventures in Mexico. The company also noted that its joint ventures in Mexico routinely administer influenza virus vaccination to their swine herds and conduct monthly tests for the presence of swine influenza.

China bans pig imports
Outbreaks of the H1N1 virus which has killed 149 people in Mexico and spread to the United States, Canada and Spain, have prompted several countries to impose bans on pig meat imports.

China said on Monday it had banned imports of live pigs and pork products from Mexico and three U.S. states, following Russia's move on Sunday to place curbs on meat imports from North and Latin America.

"It is important to reaffirm that pork consumption is not blamed at all in the transmission of this disease," the head of the Paris-based OIE Bernard Vallat told Reuters in an interview.