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Commissioner of Agriculture Gus R. Douglass is assuring West Virginians that the West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) is closely monitoring the Swine Influenza evolving situation after receiving numerous calls from concerned citizens.
“The WVDA is in constant contact with the USDA as this issue develops and, in addition, WVDA’s Animal Health field staff is increasing surveillance to quickly identify any health-related changes to West Virginia’s pig/hog industry,” said Commissioner Douglass.
Commissioner Douglass also noted that Swine Influenza is not spread by food.
According to scientists at USDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), swine flu viruses are not transmitted by food so you cannot get swine flu from eating pork or pork products. Cooking pork to an internal temperature of 160°F kills viruses and other foodborne pathogens.
Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza viruses. Swine flu viruses cause high levels of illness and low death rates in pigs.
The symptoms of swine flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human flu and include high fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with swine flu.
Notably, confirmed cases in the United States are considerably milder than those in Mexico. This anomaly is being investigated by the CDC and World Health Organization (WHO).
None of those diagnosed for swine flu have had any contact with pigs or birds, indicating human-to-human transmission.
“Most importantly, we are urging people to take care of themselves. Keep your hands clean, eat well, drink plenty of fluids, use steps you would take to keep any illness at bay,” said Commissioner Douglass.
For more information on Swine Influenza, visit the CDC and/or WHO websites.
The West Virginia Department of Agriculture protects plant, animal and human health through a variety of scientific, regulatory and consumer protection programs, as mandated by state law. The Commissioner of Agriculture is one of six statewide elected officials in West Virginia. Currently, Commissioner Gus R. Douglass is the longest-serving agriculture commissioner in the nation. For more information, visit www.wvagriculture.org.
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