Hong Kong: Pig sample tests positive for human swine influenza virus (12/10/09)

[Giuseppe]

Hong Kong: Pig sample tests positive for human swine influenza virus (12/10/09)

A spokesman for the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) confirmed today (December 10) that a nasal swab sample taken at a local pig farm on November 26 was tested positive for human swine influenza (pandemic influenza A H1N1) virus.

The pig farm is located in Kam Tin, Yuen Long, with around 1,200 pigs being raised on it.All pigs on the farm were found clinically healthy during AFCD recent inspections. The farm's owner and farm workers have no clinical signs of influenza. AFCD has informed the Centre for Health Protection for necessary follow up action.

"As a precautionary measure, AFCD has stopped the farm to send the batch of some 100 pigs which contains the pig tested positive for A H1N1 virus for slaughtering.

''AFCD has started collecting more samples from pigs on this farm and all results are negative so far. We will continue to monitor the farm closely", the spokesman said.

AFCD has collected samples from all local pig farms and they have tested negative so far. Other places have reported cases of human swine flu virus detected in pigs. Given the epidemiology of the virus and occurrence around the world, the presence of many confirmed human cases in Hong Kong, it is not unexpected that the pandemic strain A H1N1 virus has been found on a local pig farm. AFCD will continue to regularly inspect and monitor the health condition of pigs on local pig farms.

Any pig with clinical signs of swine influenza will be carefully examined and samples will be taken for diagnosis.

"We have contacted local pig farmers and reminded them to stay vigilant, strictly implement biosecurity measures and maintain good farm and personal hygiene. Any abnormality in farms should be reported to AFCD immediately.Pig farm owners and their workers should seek medical attention if they feel unwell."

Advisory letter and health advice on the prevention of human swine influenza will be distributed to farmers during inspections.

"The Government will launch the human swine influenza vaccination programme on December 21. Those involved in pig farming and slaughtering trade are among the target groups. We encourage them to receive the vaccination as soon as possible", the spokesman said.

The spokesman said that the World Health Organisation, World Organisation for Animal Health and Codex Alimentarius Commission had already stated that pork and pork products which were handled properly and thoroughly cooked were not a source of human swine influenza infection. Human swine flu virus is killed under a temperature of 70 degree Celsius or above.It is safe for the public to eat pork and pork products that are handled properly and cooked thoroughly.
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[Giuseppe]

Re: Hong Kong: Pig sample tests positive for human swine influenza virus (12/10/09)

Hong Kong: SFH on human swine flu (12/11/09)

Following is a transcript of the remarks by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr York Chow, at a stand-up media session after a public function today (December 11):

Reporter:
(on the discovery of human swine flu in a local pig farm)

Secretary for Food and Health:
We discovered this virus in the pigs of a local pig farm through our regular surveillance. The pigs are asymptomatic. They do not have any symptoms of flu at all. The workers in the pig farm also do not have any symptoms. It is very difficult to predict whether it was a human to pig transmission or a pig to pig transmission. Nevertheless, it is important to know that this regular surveillance is important. We have also advised that the pigs from this farm will not be sent to abattoir until we have cleared up the test to make sure that it is all negative before we can release those pigs for slaughtering. The other important message is to ensure the pig farmers to have access to the new vaccine. We encourage them to be vaccinated once we start the programme on December 21.

Reporter:
Do you have any idea how the pig got infected?

Secretary for Food and Health:
It is a local farm. This is definitely either through the workers who carried the virus into the farm or some imported pigs, usually the breeding pigs, from the Mainland which might also carry the virus. Since the discovery of the virus in pigs is quite well known now and it is reported in many countries, so this is not something that is unpredictable. But for us, whenever we find a virus in a new species or in a new environment, we should always be more cautious.

Reporter:
Should the public be concerned?

Secretary for Food and Health:
The public should not be unduly concerned because this virus is already in our society. It is in our community. The only thing is if it is happening in the farms, we want to make sure that it is detected early so that we can do something to control any outbreak early. With outbreak in the pigs and also perhaps the outbreak in humans, the chance of reassortment and new virus formation through mutation will be higher.

Reporter:
(about the signing of consent form for human swine flu vaccination)

Secretary for Food and Health:
If you look at the consent form carefully, it is definitely a so-called informed consent form, that is to make sure the person who receives the vaccination knows the effect as well as the side effect that have been explained to him through the healthcare worker. This is actually something quite routine for a lot of new medicine application and some procedures as well. It is important for us to let the public know what we are advising and what are the risks they are facing. As far as the vaccine is concerned, so far through the various vaccination programmes in many countries which have flu seasons earlier than us, there should be at least about 50 million people already receiving those vaccines. The side effects shown are relatively mild. The incidence of serious side effect is also quite low as comparable with seasonal flu vaccine.

Reporter:
(about eating pork)

Secretary for Food and Health:
I need to stress again that eating pork is completely safe. This is the same conclusion drawn by all the scientists and institutions like the World Health Organisation and the World Organisation for Animal Health. It is important that the public should not have a misconception that pork can transmit the virus.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript)
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[Giuseppe]

Re: Hong Kong: Pig sample tests positive for human swine influenza virus (12/10/09)

Hong Kong: Pig samples test positive for human swine influenza virus (12/16/09)

The University of Hong Kong (HKU) had found in its regular influenza virus surveillance programme that two samples taken from pigs at the Sheung Shui Slaughterhouse on December 3 tested positive for the human swine influenza (pandemic influenza A H1N1) virus, a spokesman for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department said today (December 16).

This is the second time that positive samples were found in the programme.

No gene reassortment has occurred and the virus remains genetically similar to the human swine flu viruses regularly found in humans.

The two samples were taken from pigs imported from the Mainland.

Prof Malik Peiris, the HKU expert in charge of the surveillance programme, considered that the flu virus could have been transmitted from humans to pigs in the transport process.

''Similar findings have been reported in other countries, so the current finding is not surprising. It is expected that the virus may be detected from time to time in the university's surveillance programme in the future,'' Prof Peiris said.

The FEHD spokesman said that the World Health Organisation, World Organisation for Animal Health, Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations and World Trade Organisation had already stated that pork and pork products which were handled properly and thoroughly cooked were not a source of human swine influenza infection.

It is safe to eat pork and pork products that are cooked to an internal temperature of 70 degree Celsius or above.

''The risk of humans contracting the pandemic H1N1 swine influenza is not increased by the current finding. There is no cause for the public to be overly concerned.

''We have informed the Mainland authorities so that they can further step up the monitoring and inspection of the registered farms supplying live pigs to Hong Kong.

"All imported live pigs from the Mainland should come from registered farms and be accompanied by health certificates issued by the Mainland authorities. The FEHD will carry out inspection at the boundary control point.

"Pigs have to go through ante-mortem and post-mortem inspection in the slaughterhouses. Only pigs which pass the inspection can be supplied to the market," he added. "Apart from stepping up inspection of imported live pigs, FEHD has also reminded slaughterhouse staff and people who might be in contact with live pigs to pay attention to personal hygiene, and to wear masks and appropriate protective gear when working."

Those involved in the pig farming and slaughtering trade will be among the target groups to receive the human flu A H1N1 vaccine starting from next Monday (December 21).
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