Source of Swine Flu Outbreak Found? [Updated]

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LA GLORIA, Mexico (Guardian) – Mexican village whose inhabitants were overwhelmed by an outbreak of respiratory illness starting in February has emerged as a possible source of the swine flu outbreak which has now spread across the world.

The state government of Veracruz in eastern Mexico has confirmed one case of swine flu in the village of La Gloria with the sufferer named locally as a four-year-old boy, Edgar Hernandez Hernandez.

The boy’s case earlier this month came amid an outbreak of respiratory illness in the area in which around 400 people requested medical help. The boy was treated in hospital and survived. But two babies from the same village died during the outbreak.

SMITHFIELD SUBSIDIARY GRANJAS-CARROLL

Early today the US owner of an industrial pig production facility around 12 miles from La Gloria said it had found no clinical signs or symptoms of swine flu in its herd or Mexican employees. The world’s biggest pig meat producer, Virginia-based Smithfield, said it is co-operating with the Mexican authorities’ attempts to locate the possible source of the outbreak and will submit samples from its herds at its Granjas Carroll subsidiary to the University of Mexico for tests.

“Based on available recent information, Smithfield has no reason to believe that the virus is in any way connected to its operations in Mexico,” it said in a statement. “The company also noted that its joint ventures in Mexico routinely administer influenza virus vaccination to their swine herds and conduct monthly tests for the presence of swine influenza.”

“According to state agents of the Mexican social security institute, the vector of this outbreak are the clouds of flies that come out of the hog barns, and the waste lagoons into which the Mexican-US company spews tons of excrement,” reported Mexico City newspaper La Jornada.

Swine flu can be caught through contact with infected animals, but it is unclear if contact with flies or excrement has the same effect.

(Huffington Post) – Smithfield and Granjas Carroll have agreed to adopt government recommendations to “begin reinforcing its biosecurity measures to prevent workers and animals from being infected, the newspaper Reforma said.

Reforma  also reported that Villagers in La Gloria are being threatened, harassed and even jailed for speaking out against the hog giant.  

BERLIN, Germany (DW-World) – In Mexico, the likely death toll from the virus now stands at more than 150. Authorities have taken the step of closing schools across the country until May 6 in a bid to stop the spread of the disease, which has reportedly infected more than 1,600 2,000 people there.

In the European Union, Spanish authorities confirmed the first case of swine flu in the 27-nation bloc – a 23 year-old-man who had just returned from Mexico harbors the new viral strain, but otherwise appears healthy.

The EU has also called for an emergency meeting of health ministers and advised against non-essential trips to areas where the deadly virus has surfaced.

In Spain, some 20 people are under observation, while dozens of suspected cases have cropped up in the UK, Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, France, Italy and Greece.

Holiday flight from Manchester to Cancun, Mexico cancelled.

Case of swine flu confirmed in Israel.

TORONTO, Canada (Globe and Mail) — The spread of the swine flu virus across continents can no longer be stopped, and countries should instead look to mitigate its impact, the World Health Organization said as it raised the pandemic alert level for the first time on Monday.

The new H1N1 flu strain has moved rapidly from its epicentre in Mexico, prompting governments to advise against travel to the country. Canada is considering issuing an advisory warning against non-essential travel to Mexico.

“There is no region to which this virus could not spread,” said Keiji Fukuda, the WHO’s acting assistant director-general for health security and environment.

“Given the rapidly evolving situation, it was important to send a strong signal to countries that now is a good time to strengthen preparation for possible pandemic influenza if it continues to evolve in that direction.”

H1N1 Swine Flu real time across the globe