http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRel ... MW20090502
" OTTAWA, ONTARIO, May 02 (MARKET WIRE) --
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) indicates that it has found
H1N1 flu virus in a swine herd in Alberta. The safety of the food supply
is not affected and Canadian pork continues to be safe to eat.
It is highly probable that the pigs were exposed to the virus from a
Canadian who had recently returned from Mexico and had been exhibiting
flu-like symptoms. Signs of illness were subsequently observed in the
pigs. The individual has recovered and all of the pigs are recovering or
have recovered.
While further testing is needed to more fully characterize the virus, the
CFIA is taking a precautionary approach. 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 that these pigs could transfer
virus to a person is remote.........."
http://www.theprovince.com/Health/Canad ... story.html
"....It was the first time the Canadian Food Inspection Agency had reported a case of the virus being transmitted from a human to a pig in Canada.
"It's rare but we have said from the beginning of this flu outbreak that this might happen," Domenech said.
He said FAO was awaiting the results of tests conducted in at least two laboratories in the United States and Canada, where strains of the virus isolated in humans in Mexico had been inoculated into pigs.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency said the infected herd was quarantined pending more testing and the chance the pigs could transfer the virus to humans was remote. It said all the infected pigs had recovered or were recovering.,,,,,"
The reason this is significant is that a very good many of the workers in hog confinements here in the USSA are from Mexico, and they do travel home to visit periodically. They also tend not to seek out help until the situation gets serious, fearing getting nabbed by immigration.
Iowa's governor has closed down the school district in Marshall County, Iowa due to 6 probable cases of swine flu there. I see in comments on the article about it in the Des Moines Register that he's getting a lot of criticism for "over-reacting", but my guess is that it's been the prompt actions of the fed and state health departments that have helped to avert an epidemic. This still has the potential to turn into something serious if people become too complacent. Of course, if it does become a pandemic, the government will be blamed for not acting quickly enough, probably by the same people who are accusing it of fear-mongering right now.
