2009 swine flu pandemic actions concerning pigs

According to researchers cited by The New York Times, "based on its genetic structure, the new virus is without question a type of swine influenza, derived originally from a strain that lived in pigs".{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/29/business/economy/29trade.html |work=The New York Times |title=Pork industry fights concerns over swine flu |author1=Martin Andrew |author2=Krauss Clifford |date=28 April 2009| accessdate= 25 July 2009 }} This origin gave rise to the nomenclature "swine flu", largely used by mass media in the first days of the epidemic. Despite this origin, the current strain is a human-to-human transmitted virus, requiring no contact with swine.[https://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/24/health/24flu.html?hp "Swine Flu Might Have Come From Asia"] New York Times, June 23, 2009

International health officials from the CDC, WHO, FAO, OIE and other food organizations have reaffirmed that pork is safe to eat and hogs are not to blame for the epidemic. However, as of early June, China, Russia and more than a dozen other countries were still banning pork imports from the U.S. The World Trade Organization (WTO) planned to highlight the pork bans in a forthcoming report on protectionism and reiterate that pork is not a source of infection and is safe to eat provided it is prepared properly.[https://www.reuters.com/article/europeCrisis/idUSLC804631 "EXCLUSIVE-WTO protectionism report to feature swine flu bans"] Reuters, June 12, 2009 Some U.S. officials speculated that the bans may be more about "market share than health concerns," and were costing the hog industry millions of dollars every week. Dave Warner, a spokesman for the Washington-based National Pork Producers Council, pointed out that long-standing disagreements with China and Russia may be a factor.[https://web.archive.org/web/20090607164141/http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jaqgTUbfdYP6NwLzseTylh0YNJ8gD98JPKO82 "US pork industry baffled by bans in China, Russia"] Associated Press, May 4, 2009{{cite press release |title=OIE position on safety of international trade of pigs and products of pig origin |author=Zampaglione Maria |date=8 May 2009 | publisher=World Organisation for Animal Health |url=http://oie.int/eng/press/en_090507_bis.htm |accessdate=2009-05-08| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20090515105743/http://www.oie.int/eng/press/en_090507_bis.htm| archivedate= 15 May 2009 | url-status= dead}}{{cite news |publisher=Gulf News |url=http://www.gulfnews.com/nation/Health/10308747.html |title=UAE bans import and sale of pork 'as a precaution against swine flu' |date=29 April 2009 |author=Kader Binsal Abdul |accessdate=25 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090722082149/http://www.gulfnews.com/nation/Health/10308747.html |archive-date=2009-07-22 |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |author1=Underwood Mitya |author2=Kwong Matt |work=The National |place=Abu Dhabi |url=http://www.thenational.ae/article/20090430/NATIONAL/704299799/1133 |title=UAE bars pork imports |date=30 April 2009 |accessdate=25 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090722065422/http://www.thenational.ae/article/20090430/NATIONAL/704299799/1133 |archive-date=2009-07-22 |url-status=dead }}

As a result, by mid-August, pork had become the second-worst commodity investment of 2009, and may fall 33 percent by yearend. U.S. exports plunged 20 percent in the first half of 2009 and are heading for the first annual decline since 1990. Tyson Foods Inc. idled slaughterhouses, and U.S. hog farmers haven't been profitable in a year. Imports from the U.S. fell 38 percent in Russia this year and 73 percent in China, including Hong Kong, USDA data show.[https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=afkUuSJuBgtw "Pork Drops 30% in Futures as Flu Cuts Chinese Imports"] Bloomberg News, Aug. 17, 2009

At the beginning of June 2009, the U.S. Agriculture Department said it would launch a pilot surveillance project to look for new strains of flu virus in pigs. Some experts claim that global health officials have underestimated the risk that pig herds might be a source of new influenza strains, choosing instead to focus on the threat of bird flu. Until recently, health experts have done very little surveillance of influenza among pigs—even though the virus is very common in the animals and just as transmissible as it is among people. Flu viruses have also been shown to pass from pigs to people and from people to pigs.[https://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE5536SI20090604?sp=true "Pigs an underestimated source of flu: study"] Reuters, June 4, 2009

As reported by The Daily Telegraph, Afghanistan's only pig has been taken off display in the Kabul Zoo and "quarantined" as a response to visitor's fears about contracting swine flu.{{cite news|author=Last Updated: 11:51AM BST 07 May 2009 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/swine-flu/5288437/Swine-flu-Afghanistans-only-pig-quarantined.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100113080253/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/swine-flu/5288437/Swine-flu-Afghanistans-only-pig-quarantined.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2010-01-13 |title=Swine flu: Afghanistan's only pig quarantined |publisher=Telegraph |date=2009-04-25 |accessdate=2009-05-08 | location=London}}

Image:H1N1 Argentina zoonosis.svg

A case of human-to-swine transmission was discovered in Buenos Aires province, on June 25. The hog farm where it occurred has been interdicted.MercoPress, [http://en.mercopress.com/2009/06/26/human-to-swine-ah1n1-virus-contagion-in-argentine-hog-farm "Human-To-Swine A/H1N1 Virus Contagion In Argentine Hog Farm"], 26 June 2009, (accessed 27 June 2009)

Image:H1N1 Canada human swine flu - zoonosis - CSS map.svg

On May 2, Canadian Food Inspection Agency executive vice-president Brian Evans announced that an infected Alberta farm worker recently returned from Mexico had apparently passed the virus to a swine herd in his care. Although the herd had been quarantined, Evans stressed that the infection represented no threat to food safety and judged the possibility of infected pigs passing the virus back to humans "remote". Evans said the infection of the herd was the first known case of the H1N1 virus being transmitted from humans to pigs.{{cite news |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/alberta-pigs-likely-infected-with-flu-from-worker-cfia-official-1.799863 |title=Alberta pigs likely infected with flu from worker: CFIA official |publisher=CBC News |date=3 May 2009 |access-date=2009-05-03| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090504081054/http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/05/02/swineflu-ns-cases789.html| archive-date= 4 May 2009 | url-status= live}}

In Canada in early June, an Alberta pig farmer whose herd was infected with the new swine flu virus culled his entire herd. In May he had already culled 500 animals from his herd. The farm owner said the animals cannot be marketed because they are under quarantine and he is facing a problem with overcrowding.[http://www.healthzone.ca/health/article/647016 "3,000 Alberta hogs culled due to swine flu"] Health Zone - Canada, June 7, 2009

Transmission from the same herd of pigs back to humans was revealed on 20 July, though it occurred on 7 May when the humans, animal health inspectors, were taking samples from the infected herd with improper self-protective measures.{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/swine-flu-inspectors-in-improper-gear-got-virus-1.849555 |publisher=CBC News |date=20 July 2009 |title=Swine-flu inspectors in improper gear got virus |access-date=21 July 2009 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090724150808/http://www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/story/2009/07/20/swine-flu-inspectors-improper-gear-virus-calgary.html |archive-date=24 July 2009 }}

The People's Republic of China has banned pork imports.

{{cite web|url=http://article.wn.com/view/2009/05/04/China_expands_ban_on_pork_imports/|title=China expands ban on pork imports|work=World News}}

On 29 April 2009, the Egyptian Government announced the decision to slaughter all pigs in the country, roughly 300,000, despite a lack of evidence that the pigs had, or were even suspected of having, the virus.{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/egypt-orders-slaughter-of-all-pigs-over-swine-flu-1676090.html |title=Egypt orders slaughter of all pigs over swine flu |author=Youssef Maamoun |agency=The Associated Press |date=29 April 2009 |work=The Independent | accessdate=2009-05-02 | location=London| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20090502022247/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/egypt-orders-slaughter-of-all-pigs-over-swine-flu-1676090.html| archivedate= 2 May 2009 | url-status= live}}{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/8031490.stm|title=Clashes erupt over Egypt pig cull |date=2009-05-03|publisher=BBC News| accessdate =2009-05-03| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20090505033159/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/8031490.stm| archivedate= 5 May 2009 | url-status= live}} This decision reportedly raised religious tensions since pig owners are mostly in the Coptic Christian minority (5% to 10% of the population) in the predominantly Islamic nation. Egyptian human rights lawyer Nadia Tawfiq claimed that the pig extermination was a form of attack on Christians.{{cite news | url = http://compassdirect.org/en/display.php?page=news&idelement=5910&lang=en&length=short&backpage=index&critere=&countryname=&rowcur=50 | title = Egypt: swine destruction threatens coptic-run industry | date = 2009-05-05 | publisher = Compass Direct News | accessdate = 27 May 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090728071421/http://www.compassdirect.org/en/display.php?page=news | archive-date = 28 July 2009 | url-status = usurped }} Many international newspapers attributed the action to the global swine-flu outbreak,{{cite news | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/egypt-orders-slaughter-of-all-pigs-over-swine-flu-1676090.html | title=Egypt orders slaughter of all pigs over swine flu | last=Youssef | agency=The Associated Press | first=Maamoun | date=2009-04-29 | work=The Independent | accessdate=2009-05-02 | location=London| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20090502022247/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/egypt-orders-slaughter-of-all-pigs-over-swine-flu-1676090.html| archivedate= 2 May 2009 | url-status= live}} even though no cases of swine flu had been reported in the country.

According to the Egyptian Ministry of Health (MOH) the extermination was not based on either the swine flu outbreak, nor it is against a specific group of citizens. On the Elkahira Elyoum TV show, Dr. Hatem El-Gabaly announced the pig extermination was based on the fear that the bird flu could mutate in the unkempt pig herds. The decision was reached because so many of the areas used by pig growers are specifically trash dumps and do not follow any veterinary supervision, unlike most other countries that raise pigs in a tested and controlled environment.{{Citation needed|date=May 2009}} The extra attention and urgency by the emergence of the bird flu, then the swine flu, provided an opportunity to act on a plan that had been there for several years.{{Citation needed|date=May 2009}}

Josep Domènech, the chief veterinary officer at the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) called the decision "a real mistake", saying that FAO had been trying to reach Egyptian officials but there has been no response.{{cite news|title=UN agency slams Egypt order to cull all pigs |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/europeCrisis/idUSLT11250 |first=Phil |last=Stewart |publisher=Reuters |date=2009-04-29 |accessdate=5 May 2009 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090503034026/https://www.reuters.com/article/europeCrisis/idUSLT11250 |archivedate=3 May 2009 |url-status=live }}

Egypt commenced the slaughter on 2 May 2009. This led to clashes between pig owners and the police in Cairo. On the next day in Cairo, an estimated 300 Coptic Christian residents of the Manshiyat Nasr district set up blockades on the street in attempt to keep government officers from confiscating their pigs, which led to clashes with the police. Al-Ahram, a widely circulated Egyptian newspaper, reported that owners of destroyed pigs will receive £E1,000 (approximately US$177.70) per animal in compensation, but Reuters reported that the issue was still "under discussion", citing an Egyptian cabinet spokesman.

On June 5, the UK-based Compassion in World Farming organization warned Egypt that its brutal measures and its mass slaughter of pigs could negatively affect Egypt's tourism industry. Philip Lymbery the chief executive of the group was quoted saying that "Britons and people from around the world have joined the international storm of protest against this atrocity in Egypt, with many saying they'll no longer consider Egypt as a possible holiday destination,"{{cite news | url=http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25595701-401,00.html | title=Egypt pig kill 'could affect tourism' | date=2009-06-05 | accessdate=25 December 2009 | archive-date=2009-07-07 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090707164301/http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25595701-401,00.html | url-status=dead }}

After a coordination meeting about the flu on April 27, 2009, the Indonesian government halted the importation of pigs and initiated the examination of 9 million pigs in Indonesia.{{cite web|url=http://nasional.kompas.com/read/xml/2009/04/27/11120229/cegah.flu.babi.pemerintah.gelar.rapat.koordinasi |title=Cegah flu babi, pemerintah gelar rapat koordinasi |date=2009-04-27 |publisher=Kompas newspaper |accessdate=12 June 2009 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090501235943/http://nasional.kompas.com/read/xml/2009/04/27/11120229/cegah.flu.babi.pemerintah.gelar.rapat.koordinasi |archivedate=1 May 2009 |url-status=live }}

Adel Salman Musa, the director of the Baghdad Zoo claims to have "received an order issued by the multi-ministry committee aimed at preventing swine flu" to kill Baghdad's supply of three wild boars. He said the cull was initiated "to break a barrier of fear" which had been developed amongst zoo visitors.{{cite news|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/05/03/iraq.boars/|title=Wild boars killed in Iraq over swine flu fears|date=2009-04-03|accessdate=2009-05-04|publisher=CNN| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20090510131855/http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/05/03/iraq.boars/| archivedate= 10 May 2009 | url-status= live}} There had been a decline in the number of visitors in the days prior to the culling.

The health ministry said that killing the pigs would serve no purpose in preventing an outbreak in the country that has no reported cases of swine flu. Ehassan Jafar, a spokesperson for the country's health ministry, said that "it does not matter" since the virus is able to transmit itself between humans now. In its dispute with the agriculture ministry, the health ministry said "if you really want to kill them then just kill them".{{cite web|url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jVxwhffSW4vItUaza1MCp6cgrbew|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110303125458/http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jVxwhffSW4vItUaza1MCp6cgrbew|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 3, 2011|title=Iraq culls three wild pigs at Baghdad zoo|date=2009-04-03|accessdate=2009-05-04}}

The boars were tested prior to their culling, and results proved negative. The zoo's director said they were killed humanely. This involved the use of an anesthetic. The three carcasses were later buried.{{cite web|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-05/03/content_11305375.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160128000232/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-05/03/content_11305375.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 28, 2016|title=Iraqi zoo kills boars amid fear of A/H1N1 flu|date=2009-04-03|accessdate=2009-05-04|publisher=Xinhua News Agency}}

The deaths were relayed around the world via Agence France-Presse, CNN, Israel's Ynetnews and China's Xinhua News Agency.{{cite news|url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3709810,00.html |title=Baghdad zoo kills boars on swine flu worries |date=2009-04-05 |accessdate=2009-05-05 |newspaper=Ynetnews |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090510095635/http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0%2C7340%2CL-3709810%2C00.html |archivedate=10 May 2009 |url-status=live }}

Kurdistan's Regional Government has outlawed boar hunting. The area has a large population of wild boars.

Inhabitants are told to avoid the consumption of pork. Travelers are being monitored for their activity in relation to this.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan instructed animal quarantine offices across the country to examine any live pigs being brought into the country to make sure they are not infected with the H1N1 strain of influenza.{{cite web|url=http://home.kyodo.co.jp/modules/fstStory/index.php?storyid=435522 |title=Japan on high alert for swine flu after an outbreak in Mexico |publisher=Kyodo News |date=2009-04-26 |accessdate=2009-04-26 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090429203043/http://home.kyodo.co.jp/modules/fstStory/index.php?storyid=435522 |archivedate=29 April 2009 |url-status=dead }} Japanese Agriculture Minister Shigeru Ishiba appeared on television to reassure consumers that it is safe to eat pork.[http://english.cna.com.tw/SearchNews/doDetail.aspx?id=200904280012 MOFA issues red travel alert for Mexico on swine flu] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090429235551/http://english.cna.com.tw/SearchNews/doDetail.aspx?id=200904280012 |date=2009-04-29 }}. CNA The Japanese farm ministry said that it would not ask for restrictions on pork imports because the virus was unlikely to turn up in pork, and would be killed by cooking.{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/europeCrisis/idUST344175 |title=FACTBOX-Asia moves to ward off new flu virus |date=2009-04-26 |publisher=Reuters |accessdate=12 June 2009 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090430041910/https://www.reuters.com/article/europeCrisis/idUST344175 |archivedate=30 April 2009 |url-status=live }}

On April 27, 2009, the government of the Republic of Macedonia prohibited all exports and imports of live pigs.{{cite news|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-04/29/content_11282523.htm |title=Macedonian senior officials monitored for possible swine flu |author=Deng Shasha |date=2009-04-29 |accessdate=12 June 2009 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090503205650/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-04/29/content_11282523.htm |archivedate=3 May 2009 |url-status=dead }}

According to Daily NK, the sale of pork has been prohibited in a portion of the jangmadang because A/H1N1 is still sometimes called "swine flu"

No official decree has been issued by the state or any political entity, but some officials of the People's Safety Agency have been unilaterally preventing the sale of pork. In the Hyesan, Wiyeon and Masan Markets, it is still difficult to find pork.{{cite web|url=http://www.dailynk.com/english/read.php?cataId=nk01500&num=5604|title=North Korea's Confused Flu Policy|work=dailynk.com|date=2 November 2009 }}

500 pigs were mass slaughtered on October 16, after swine flu was detected on a farm in Nord-Trøndelag county the week before the slaughtering. Another 900 pigs from a second farm will also be slaughtered.

{{cite web|url=http://www.norwaypost.no/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=22626|title=Swine Flu: 1400 pigs to be slaughtered|author=Rolleiv Solholm|work=The Norway Post – Your latest news from Norway, Norway News in English}}{{Cite web |url=http://www.pigprogress.net/news/more-norwegian-pig-herds-infected-with-swine-flu-id3531.html |title = Pig Progress - News: More Norwegian pig herds infected with swine flu |access-date=2009-12-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091019082319/http://www.pigprogress.net/news/more-norwegian-pig-herds-infected-with-swine-flu-id3531.html |archive-date=2009-10-19 |url-status=dead }}

The Philippines issued a ban on pig imports from countries affected by the disease. The ban was lifted on May 4 except imports from Canada because of authorities were still checking the possible transmission of the A(H1N1) from a human to a pig. The pig import ban from Canada was lifted on May 11.{{cite web|url=http://www.pigprogress.net/news/philippines-canadian-pork-import-ban-lifted-2936.html|title=PigProgress - Philippines: Canadian pork import ban lifted|work=PigProgress|access-date=2009-09-10|archive-date=2011-07-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724005731/http://www.pigprogress.net/news/philippines-canadian-pork-import-ban-lifted-2936.html|url-status=dead}}

{{cite web|url=http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20090504-203022/Import-ban-on-pork-lifted-except-Canada|title=Import ban on pork lifted, except Canada - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos|work=inquirer.net|access-date=2009-09-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090507145911/http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20090504-203022/Import-ban-on-pork-lifted-except-Canada|archive-date=2009-05-07|url-status=dead}}

The Russian Federation has banned pork import.

{{cite news| url=https://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-SwineFlu/idUSTRE5431PB20090504 | work=Reuters | title=Russia says extends pork import ban to Canada, Spain | date=2009-05-04| accessdate= 10 September 2009 }}

Imports of pork and live pigs from all affected countries have been banned. The ban also applies to all shipments after April 21.[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8022516.stm#americas The world response to flu crisis], BBC News, 2009-04-28. Retrieved on 2009-04-30.

As of June 2009 it was reported that Flu will halt import of pigs {{cite web | title=Flu to halt Arab countries' import of pigs | website=IPR | date=2010-03-15 | url=https://infoprod.co.il/article/2/256.html | access-date=2024-07-01}} by Arab countries, but they ban exporting porks to America.

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwMIlw7rCSc YouTube video of pig culling in Egypt]

{{2009 swine flu}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:2009 Flu Pandemic Actions Concerning Pigs}}

Pigs, 2009 swine flu outbreak action against

Category:Animal welfare

Category:Pigs

Swine flu