The office of the chief veterinary officer advises:
• Monitoring swine in Manitoba for a variety of flu viruses remains an ongoing process as part of provincial measures to ensure the health and safety of the pork industry. So far, there is no evidence this new virus is circulating in Manitoba swine herds.
• Manitoba veterinarians and the pork industry are constantly monitoring for new diseases. Swine flu among pigs is not unusual and is not usually fatal in swine. Swine flu has existed in Canada and Manitoba for a number of years.
• Swine producers are reminded they need to maintain biosecurity measures in their barns and on their property. For the industry to protect itself, it is necessary for producers to restrict access to their barns and swine herds to authorized personnel who adhere to the high sanitary requirements that can prevent the introduction of the flu virus into their facility. People who are ill or have flu symptoms should not go into pig or poultry production facilities.
• Owners of hobby farms with small numbers of swine are encouraged to monitor their livestock for flu symptoms and contact their veterinarian should these symptoms arise.
• Owners of pets like dogs or cats don’t need to be concerned about the human swine flu. Owners of pet pigs should be aware swine and humans can trade viruses so they should follow the usual precautions, monitor the health of their pet and call a veterinarian if it shows signs of illness.
• Human swine flu is not a food safety issue. Sick pigs do not enter the food chain.
• Properly cooked pork in Canada is safe. To date, there has been no evidence that the virus is transmitted through contaminated food. Viruses (including flu viruses) are easily killed by heat, so make sure pork is always thoroughly cooked with clear juices and no visible pinkness. Pork should be cooked to an internal temperature of +71 C.
