Swine Flu

Picture taken from http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/images/news/photos/2009/04/27/spain-flu-cp-6620141-wide.jpg

Before anybody overreacts, I thought it would be good to provide some reliable links to obtain accurate information concerning this new disease that has caught the attention of our media. It is always good to be in an informed position.

http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/key_facts.htm (Questions like the following ones have been answered on the CDC website:

Can people catch swine flu from eating pork? No. Swine influenza viruses are not transmitted by food. You can not get swine influenza from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork and pork products is safe. Cooking pork to an internal temperature of 160°F kills the swine flu virus as it does other bacteria and viruses.

How does swine flu spread? Influenza viruses can be directly transmitted from pigs to people and from people to pigs. Human infection with flu viruses from pigs are most likely to occur when people are in close proximity to infected pigs, such as in pig barns and livestock exhibits housing pigs at fairs. Human-to-human transmission of swine flu can also occur. This is thought to occur in the same way as seasonal flu occurs in people, which is mainly person-to-person transmission through coughing or sneezing of people infected with the influenza virus. People may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.)

http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html (WHO provides situation updates here)