If you are still eating pork I suggest that you read this article in full. Twice.
On Monday, the USDA reported that pigs in a commercial swine herd at an Indiana factory farm had tested positive for novel H1N1 influenza virus. It was the first time that pigs raised for meat in the US had been found with signs of the bug. Last month, show pigs at the Minnesota State Fair also tested positive for H1N1.
This time, 3,000 “finishing hogs” being fattened for slaughter were suspected of contracting the disease. “Information points to a recent exposure of the pigs with facility caretakers who were exhibiting influenza-like symptoms,” said the website PigProgress.net. “Recovered healthy pigs are being sent to slaughter through normal marketing channels and State public health officials have been notified of the situation.”
Boy doesn’t some bacon sound good right now!
WASHINGTON (AP) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture says at least one pig from Minnesota has tested positive for the H1N1 virus, the first case of a pig contracting the virus in the United States.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement Monday that USDA officials have begun to reach out to international organizations and are emphasizing that H1N1, also known as swine flu, cannot be contracted by eating pork products.
The USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories confirmed the presence of H1N1 after an initial test suggested that as many as three pigs may have had the virus.
USDA officials say the infection of a so-called show pig doesn’t indicate an infection of commercial herds because show pigs are in separate segments of the swine industry.
Should I say more about eating pork?
Just months after the swine flu pandemic panicked the world, varying strains of the Ebola virus have been discovered in pigs, and they may be jumping between swine and humans effortlessly.
Researchers, who reported their findings in the journal Science, are concerned that pigs are providing a melting pot where the virus could mutate into something deadlier. And they warned that the emergence of Ebola in the human food chain is “of serious concern.”
The infections were discovered among pigs in the Philippines after tissue samples were taken to identify the source of unusually severe respiratory infections which were plaguing swine across the country. The discovery came as a surprise to researchers, since until now the Ebola-Reston (REBOV) virus had only been found in humans and other primates.
Perhaps more frightening, Ebola was also detected in farm workers who tend to the infected pigs. And it’s likely that the virus had been transmitted from swine to humans, and vice versa.
FULL STORY HERE…
So I am really interested to see who ate the cake after these two took the first piece.
HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. (AP) – The bride wore white—and a face mask. A Chicago couple married in surgical masks and latex gloves Sunday after learning less than 48 hours before that they both had swine flu. Ilana Jackson and Jeremy Fierstien went ahead with the ceremony after doctors assured them guests wouldn’t be at serious risk.But to be sure, the 26-year-olds kept a 10-foot distance from family and friends at all times, even walking around the gathering instead of down the aisle at a Highland Park synagogue.
Jackson says they’d joked about swine flu after both experienced vomiting, achy limbs and fever. But they never thought they really had it.
She says the circumstances were unfortunate but that they took it in stride.
New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, who traveled on Friday to Shanghai, China on an economic development trip, was placed in quarantine Sunday after Chinese officials found another passenger on his flight to have signs of the swine flu.
That passenger was undergoing quarantine and treatment. As a precaution, the mayor, his wife and another member of the Mayor’s Executive Protection Unit were also placed in a designated quarantine location in Shanghai, according to the mayor’s communications director.
He and his wife were displaying no symptoms of being ill, said Communications Director Ceeon D. Quiett.
Nagin was scheduled to travel to Sydney, Australia, where he is planning to deliver a keynote address and lead a panel discussion on climate change at the 2009 National Summit of the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney.
Quiett said the mayor may need to alter his travel schedule.
Well it seems Slim Shady is up to his old tricks with the press, this time he plays on the overblown swine flu pandemic that dominates cable news right now.
After 176 reported deaths from swine flu in Mexico and cases confirmed in nine countries, the impact of the influenza that the World Health Organization is on the verge of calling a global pandemic has begun to widen. In addition to the closure of more than 100 schools across the United States — including one district in Texas that is temporarily closing all schools until at least May 11 — two major events at the University of Delaware scheduled to take place on Thursday (April 30) were canceled due to the outbreak of the fast-spreading disease.
According to the DelawareOnline.com, a show by Young Jeezy at the Bob Carpenter Center has been called off, as well as a talk by journalist Gwen Ifill, the host of PBS’ “Washington Week” and moderator of last year’s vice-presidential debate. Jeezy was to perform with up-and-coming rapper Drake, but due to worries that at least 10 students on the school’s campus are suspected to be carrying the virus, the events were canceled.
In a letter to students on Wednesday, university president Patrick T. Harker wrote, “While the Centers for Disease Control have not yet confirmed any swine flu diagnoses, I have no doubt that these suspected cases are causing a great deal of concern among the entire campus community. The University’s first priority is the health and well-being of our students and employees.” The university will remain open and hold classes in the meantime, but will make decisions regarding large public gatherings on a case-by-case basis. Continue reading
As the two friends wandered through the snow on their way home, Piglet grinned to himself, thinking how lucky he was to have a best friend like Pooh. Pooh however had other thoughts running through his mind…
As they say, there is nothing new under the sun…so in the spirit of that it comes as no surprise that “Swine Flu” was on the cusp of being a pandemic in the late 90’s. Check out these commercials which are heavily pushing the upcoming vaccine which will have people lined up by the multitudes.
I think this pic sums it all up.
Damn, Elijah Muhammad has been cleaning up as of lately. Gotta thank him for getting some of us off the pork, early.
MEXICO CITY, April 26 (Reuters) – The death toll in Mexico from an outbreak of a new type of swine flu has risen to 103 people, Health Minister Jose Angel Cordova said on Sunday.
Cordova told Mexican television that around 400 people were in hospital out of a total of around 1,600 suspected cases.
The outbreak of a new strain of flu in Mexico in the last few days has stoked fears of a global epidemic as new cases cropped up in the United States and Canada. Possible infections are also being checked in Europe, Israel and New Zealand.
“The most recent reports we have are of 1,614 cases, with 103 deaths, and we still have around 400 patients in hospital,” Cordova told the Televisa network, explaining that around two-thirds of the sick patients had recovered.
Millions of Mexicans stayed indoors at the weekend or ventured out wearing surgical masks, especially in Mexico City where the government stopped public events and shut museums, bars and stadiums closed to try and contain the virus.