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Australia - Swine flu hits piggery

Treyfish

Treyfish

Moderator
By Gemma Jones From: <cite>The Daily Telegraph </cite>July 31, 2009 5:25AM



SWINE flu has broken out in a NSW piggery with up to 280 infected animals now quarantined.

In a bizarre twist the pigs are believed to have caught the virus from the owner and staff who have suffered flu-like symptoms.
A second round of testing has tonight confirmed the pigs are suffering a virus almost identical to swine flu. Further tests will be carried out to confirm the strain.
Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald tonight said it is likely the animals caught the virus from workers at the piggery in the state's central west.
"This is the first case of Influenza A H1 in pigs in Australia and at this stage we believe it was likely introduced by people working with the animals,'' Mr Macdonald told The Daily Telegraph.
"The 280-sow piggery affected has been placed in quarantine and strict biosecurity measures are in place to ensure the virus does not spread.

"The owner and staff at the piggery have previously suffered flu-like symptoms and are being tested for Influenza A H1N1 by NSW Health.''
Vets and emergency animal disease response specialists have descended on the piggery.
The National Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Disease is meeting tonight to coordinate the best response to the incident.
Mr Macdonald was quick to ease fears pork could be contaminated and said the outbreak posed no danger to humans.
The NSW Food Authority has tonight said pork, including bacon and ham, is safe to eat.
They have confirmed sick animals have not entered into the human food chain and no sick pigs will be slaughtered.
"People should make sure that they continue to follow the Food Authority's advice to always wash hands properly with soap and running water and dry thoroughly before and after handling any raw meat, including pork, and to keep utensils like knives and chopping boards clean,'' the Food Authority said.:tiphat:http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/swine-flu-hits-piggery/story-e6freuy9-1225756880048
 
Re: Australia - Swine flu hits piggery

NSW pigs catch swine flu


Tests have confirmed that swine flu has broken out at a piggery in the central west of New South Wales.
It is the first case of the virus among pigs in Australia and the State Government believes the animals probably caught the disease from workers at the piggery.
A total of 280 pigs have been placed in quarantine and strict biosecutiry measures are in place to try to contain the spread of the virus.
NSW Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald says the piggery's owner and staff have previously suffered flu-like symptoms and are being tested for swine flu by the health department.
Mr Macdonald says the outbreak poses no threat to humans.:tiphat:http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/07/31/2642757.htm
 
Swine flu found in NSW piggery

Swine flu found in NSW piggery

Source: http://nqr.farmonline.com.au/news/n...s/swine-flu-found-in-nsw-piggery/1583881.aspx


Swine flu found in NSW piggery
31/07/2009 7:56:00 PM

Swine flu, or the influenza A/H1N1 (2009) virus, has been detected in a NSW piggery as a result of human-to-pig transmission.

Australian Pork Ltd has moved quickly to reassure consumers that the transmission holds no implications for Australian consumers.

APL chief executive Andrew Spencer says consumers can "have the utmost confidence in pork as a safe and healthy meat to eat".

Mr Spencer said experts in Australia and overseas, including state and federal health departments, the Australian Medical Association, Australian Veterinarian Association, the World Health Organisation and the World Organisation for Animal Health, have agreed there is no food safety risk associated with the flu virus.

The WHO and OIE have stated:

? People cannot get this disease from eating pork;

? There is no evidence that animals are playing a significant role in the spread of the virus in the general human population; and

? The virus does not behave any differently in pigs from other influenza viruses commonly detected in swine herds in many countries of the world.

Mr Spencer said producers were expected to maintain their normal strict biosecurity measures and monitor their animals and staff, and that eradication of the disease at the single affected farm was now the objective.

"The Influenza A/H1N1 (2009) virus has spread rapidly across Australia through person-to-person transmission and is affecting thousands of people," he said.

"Though it is unfortunate that the virus has been detected in some pigs on just one farm, consumers have absolutely nothing to be concerned about.

"This isolated incident is now being handled in accordance with exotic disease response procedures under the supervision of New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, with the health and wellbeing of the animals of paramount concern. We expect the animals affected to fully recover."
 
Re: Australia - Swine flu hits piggery

Piggery quarantined for swine flu


AAP
July 31, 2009 08:18pm
<!-- // END article-title ************************************** --><!-- // story-tools ************************************** --><!-- // END article-title ************************************** -->
A PIGGERY in central western New South Wales has been placed under quarantine after testing found it had been infected with a swine flu, most likely introduced by its own staff.
<!-- // END article intro ************************************** --><!-- // article corpus ************************************** -->Authorities have stepped in to reassure consumers, saying pork products were still safe to eat.
The piggery was placed in quarantine after two tests returned positive for the influenza A H1 virus (A H1 virus), after samples were taken from some pigs yesterday.
Authorities were treating it very seriously, a Department of Primary Industries spokesman said.
"It's influenza A, not the human swine flu virus 2009, but further testing is being conducted with the results expected next week,'' he said.
The owner and staff at the piggery had previously suffered flu-like symptoms, and are now themselves being tested for human swine flu.
It is the first time pigs had been infected with the A H1 virus in Australia, and follows an outbreak of swine flu H1N1 virus at a Canadian piggery in May.
"This is the first case of Influenza A H1 in pigs in Australia and at this stage we believe it was likely introduced by people working with the animals,'' NSW Primary Industry Minister Ian Macdonald said.
"The affected 280-sow piggery which is currently housing about 2,000 pigs has been placed in quarantine and strict biosecurity measures are in place to ensure the virus does not spread.''
The department would not say where the piggery was located.
Mr Macdonald said the National Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Disease would meet on Friday night to coordinate a response to the incident.
A Department of Primary Industries response team, including veterinarians and emergency disease specialists, had also been called up to investigate the infection.
"Veterinary investigators are now tracing movements of people, animals and equipment on and off the property to get a clearer picture of how the disease is behaving,'' the minister said.
Mr Macdonald hosed down any fears pork products may be contaminated with the virus, saying the meat was safe to eat.
"I want to stress that it is safe to eat pork and pork products,'' he said.
"Sick animals have not entered the human food chain.
"Only healthy pigs are sent for slaughter at abattoirs in Australia.''
Industry group Australian Pork Limited (APL) said consumers could have the "utmost confidence'' the meat was safe to eat.
"Though it is unfortunate that the virus has been detected in some pigs on just one farm, consumers have absolutely nothing to be concerned about,'' APL chief Andrew Spencer said.
"This isolated incident is now being handled in accordance with exotic response procedures under the supervision of the NSW Department of Primary Industries, with the health and wellbeing of the animals of paramount concern.''
Mr Spencer said he expected the 280 pigs to recover from the virus.
NSW chief veterinary officer, Dr Bruce Christie, said the pigs started coughing late last week, and were tested by a vet earlier this week.
"Since a similar recent outbreak of Influenza A H1N1 in a Canadian piggery, Australia has been reviewing its plans for dealing with Influenza A H1N1 in a local piggery, and is prepared,'' Dr Christie said.
An elderly woman is the latest person with swine flu to die in NSW, taking the state's virus-related toll to 22.
The woman, aged in her 70s, tested positive for H1N1 influenza but also suffered from underlying medical conditions, health authorities said.
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25864088-29277,00.html
 
Re: Australia - Swine flu hits piggery

Treyfish said:
By Gemma Jones From: <CITE>The Daily Telegraph </CITE>July 31, 2009 5:25AM



In a bizarre twist the pigs are believed to have caught the virus from the owner and staff who have suffered flu-like symptoms.
A second round of testing has tonight confirmed the pigs are suffering a virus almost identical to swine flu. :tiphat:http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/swine-flu-hits-piggery/story-e6freuy9-1225756880048
Click to expand...
This is a major problem.
 
Re: Australia - Swine flu hits piggery

niman said:
Piggery quarantined for swine flu


AAP
July 31, 2009 08:18pm
<!-- // END article-title ************************************** --><!-- // story-tools ************************************** --><!-- // END article-title ************************************** -->
Authorities were treating it very seriously, a Department of Primary Industries spokesman said.
"It's influenza A, not the human swine flu virus 2009, but further testing is being conducted with the results expected next week,'' he said.
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25864088-29277,00.html
Click to expand...
False.
 
Re: Australia - Swine flu hits piggery

niman said:
Piggery quarantined for swine flu


AAP
July 31, 2009 08:18pm
<!-- // END article-title ************************************** --><!-- // story-tools ************************************** --><!-- // END article-title ************************************** -->
It is the first time pigs had been infected with the A H1 virus in Australia, and follows an outbreak of swine flu H1N1 virus at a Canadian piggery in May.
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25864088-29277,00.html
Click to expand...
It is the first REPORTED outbreak in Australia, and follows outbreaks in Alberta and Quebec Canada, as well as two distinct outbreaks outside (NW and SW) of Buenos Aires in Argentina.

Argentina has filed OIE reports on both outbreaks and noted that the virus was 99.99% identical to the public Alberta swine sequences. Canada has NOT fliled an OIE report on the Quebec outbreak and Australia has not filed an OIE report (based on reports currently listed at the OIE website).
 
Re: Australia - Swine flu hits piggery

Piggery shut due to swine flu outbreak</HEADLINE><!-- Class 'push-0' just right-aligns the element so that the main content comes first. -->
<!-- cT-storyDetails -->Jonathan Dart

<CITE>August 1, 2009</CITE>
<BOD>THE first reported case of swine flu in livestock has hit Australia, with positive tests shutting down a piggery in the NSW Central West.
More than 200 pigs tested positive to a strain of the flu ? named AH1, a different strain to the human swine flu ? causing the piggery to be quarantined.
But the state Primary Industries Minister, Ian Macdonald, yesterday said the health consequences to humans were very low. "I want to stress that it is safe to eat pork and pork products," he said. "Our pork industry is among the most biosecure in the world. Only healthy pigs are sent for slaughter at abattoirs in Australia."
It is understood the virus was transmitted via human workers at the piggery, although officials said further tests were being carried out to determine its exact route. But the incident may have economic consequences for the state?s pork industry, with a farm-gate value of more than $226 million.
Pigs in the Canadian province of Alberta tested positive to the H1N1 virus in April, causing China and many of other countries to ban the region?s exports.
A spokesman for Australian Pork Ltd, Andrew Spencer, last night assured consumers that they have "nothing to worry about" when eating local pork products. "Though it is unfortunate that the virus has been detected in some pigs on just one farm, consumers have absolutely nothing to be concerned about,?? he said.
The NSW chief veterinary officer, Dr Bruce Christie, said local authorities had reviewed procedures for dealing with an influenza outbreak, following the Canadian incident.
Meanwhile, a woman in her 70s is the latest person with swine flu to die in NSW, taking the state?s virus-related toll to 22. The woman tested positive for H1N1 influenza but also suffered from underlying medical conditions, health authorities said.
NSW?s chief health officer, Dr Kerry Chant, said the number of people attending hospitals with flu-like symptoms had dropped 36 per cent over the past week.
http://www.smh.com.au/national/piggery-shut-due-to-swine-flu-outbreak-20090801-e4lw.html
 
Re: Australia - Swine flu hits piggery

Swine flu piggery: Could virus jump species?

Posted 5 hours 4 minutes ago
Updated 4 hours 13 minutes ago
There are fears the virus could spread or jump species and cause more hardship in Dunedoo. (AFP: Raul Arboleda )

<SCRIPT type=text/javascript><!-- if (typeof showPhotos == 'function') showPhotos('2643294-mediarss.xml'); --></SCRIPT>

A farmer near the nation's first suspected outbreak of swine flu in livestock is urging authorities to swiftly contain the disease.
A decision is yet to be made on whether the pigs in central-west New South Wales will be destroyed.
Health authorities believe the pigs caught the virus from workers at the Danabar Piggery at Dunedoo, a community which has already been affected by the drought.
The piggery was placed in quarantine yesterday after some of the 2,000 pigs there were found to have swine flu.
Later this week test results are expected to confirm suspicions that pigs at the property contracted swine flu from five infected workers there.
A farmer in the region, Jim Ewin, says locals still battling drought conditions and fear the virus could spread or jump species.
"It must be pretty horrendous if it really gets a toehold," he said.
"Who knows where it's going to end up?"
Mr Ewin says he hopes the outbreak is stopped as soon as possible.
"I suppose the Government and all the medical places are doing as much as they can to pull it up," he said.
"But I just hope they get on top of it as quick as they can."
The National Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Disease is expected to meet again tomorrow to decide on whether the animals should be destroyed.
Strict biosecurity measures are in place and the property is under quarantine.:tiphat:http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/08/02/2643294.htm?section=justin
 
Re: Australia - Swine flu hits piggery

MEDIA RELEASE​
NEW SOUTH WALES​
Friday, 31 July, 2009​
Ian Macdonald​
Minister for Primary Industries, Minister for Energy,
Minister for Mineral Resources, Minister for State Development​
Influenza A detected at NSW piggery​
[FONT=Arial,Arial][FONT=Arial,Arial]
A piggery in NSW has been placed in quarantine after returning positive tests for Influenza A H1, Minister for Primary Industries Ian Macdonald said today.
"The NSW Government is responding immediately, members of the NSW Department of Industry and Investment?s First Response team have been called up, including veterinarians and emergency disease response specialists," Minister Macdonald said.
"I want to stress that it is safe to eat pork and pork products. Our pork industry is among the most biosecure in the world. Only healthy pigs are sent for slaughter at abattoirs in Australia.
"Samples taken from pigs were tested at the NSW Government?s Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute (EMAI) laboratories and Influenza A H1 has been confirmed.
"This is the first case of Influenza A H1 in an Australian pig herd - but not in the world - and at this stage we believe it was most likely introduced by people working with the animals.
"The affected 280-sow piggery which is currently housing about 2,000 pigs has been placed in quarantine and strict biosecurity measures are in place to ensure the virus does not spread.
"Veterinary investigators are now tracing movements of people, animals and equipment on and off the property to get a clearer picture of how the disease is behaving.
"We know that no pigs have been introduced to the property in the last two years and no pigs have moved off the property in more than a week."
NSW chief veterinary officer, Dr Bruce Christie, said the pigs started coughing late last week and were investigated by a private veterinarian earlier this week.
"Since a similar recent outbreak of Influenza A H1N1 in a Canadian piggery, Australia has been reviewing its plans for dealing with Influenza A H1N1 in a local piggery, and is prepared," Dr Christie said.
"The National Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Disease is meeting tonight to coordinate the best response to the incident.
"NSW Department of Industry and Investment is working closely with NSW Health, NSW Farmers Association, Australian Pork Limited and the Livestock Health and Pest Authorities."
Advice from the NSW Food Authority:​
<DIR>
? Pork, including bacon and ham, is safe to eat​
　
? Sick animals have not entered into the human food chain​
　
? The NSW Food Authority does not permit the slaughtering of sick pigs for human consumption​
</DIR>[/FONT][/FONT]
Media contact: Lyndall Hilder 0400 462 447​
Brett Fifield 0427 029 511 (Industry :tiphat:http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/291832/Influenza-A-detected-at-NSW-piggery.pdf
 
Re: Australia - Swine flu hits piggery

OK "swine flu" should be novel flu, ** and not seasonal
H1N1 or H1N2.

It could be old swine H1, but humans rarely have it
 
Re: Australia - Swine flu hits piggery

Source: http://tvnz.co.nz/world-news/urgent-talks-piggery-flu-outbreak-2883371

Urgent talks on piggery flu outbreak
Published: 10:36AM Monday August 03, 2009

Source: AAP
Australia health and agriculture representatives are to hold urgent talks on Monday after an outbreak of swine flu at a central New South Wales piggery.

The Dunedoo piggery was quarantined on Friday after laboratory tests confirmed several pigs had caught the virus.

Staff are believed to have transmitted influenza A H1 to the animals.

NSW acting chief veterinarian Ian Roth says a telephone hook-up of state, territory and federal representatives from the health and agriculture sectors will be held to discuss the outbreak and what measures should be taken to control its spread.

"We have to just firm up the plan to look at what is the best course of action," Dr Roth told ABC radio.

He says although the infected pigs seem to be getting better, the piggery is still under strict quarantine.

In response to the outbreak, the pork industry has issued a biosecurity update to farmers.

Australian Pork Limited spokeswoman Pat Mitchell says all pig farmers are being encouraged to implement a strict sick leave policy for workers.

Anyone showing flu like symptoms should be prevented from coming to work for 7 to 10 days, she says.

"It is a very insidious disease ... so even if you feel a little bit ill or members of your close family are ill, notify your manager or the owner straight away before you come to work," Dr Mitchell says.

She has assured the public there was no risk of contracting swine flu from eating pork products.

Professor Raina MacIntyre, an expert in infectious diseases epidemiology at the University of NSW, says there are fears the virus may mutate in pigs and pose a greater threat to humans.

"Pigs are a very good genetic mixing vessel for influenza viruses because both human and avian strains of influenza can reassert genetically in the pigs, so it is a theoretical concern," she says.

But NSW Health epidemiologist Dr Paul Armstrong says the risk is small.

"That is most unlikely," he says.
 
Re: Australia - Swine flu hits piggery

Piggeries' precautions

Carly Rees | 4th August 2009

* Print Print
* Smaller larger text larger | smaller

WITH an outbreak of swine flu in a piggery in central western NSW, Southern Downs piggeries are concerned about public perception of the health of their pigs.

Clifton piggery CEFN owner Ian Jones said marketing of the animals was more of a concern for his business at the moment.

?People construe that you can catch swine flu from eating pork,? Mr Jones said.

?There is no proof that this has been transferred from animals to humans.

?From an animal health point of view it is not a concern but from a marketing point of view it is.?

Mr Jones said CEFN's production would continue with practices already in place to ensure animal health and prevent infection.

He said there was no public access to his piggery and his staff had been provided with protective clothing.

?We are very protective of our animals and staff and all of the meat - if it has been through the inspection process it is all safe to eat.?

Miandetta Farms owner John Doherty said he had some concerns about the situation.

?We have our piggery closed up, the public are unable to come in unless they make an appointment and can only go to the front office,? Mr Doherty said.

?Staff are unable to come in if they are feeling unwell.

?There is not a great deal you can do, just keep it closed up and sick people away.?

Mr Doherty said despite the scare down south at Miandetta Farms it was business as usual.

?All you can do is minimise the threat you can have, that is the best you can do,? he said.

?The main thing is to make sure staff know what is going on and keep them updated with regular meetings.?

An Australian Medical Association of Queensland spokesman said swine flu was yet to peak in Queensland with 85 people currently in hospital with the virus and that amount expected to rise.
http://www.warwickdailynews.com.au/story/2009/08/04/piggeries-precautions/
 
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