December 15, 2009

South Korea discovers AH1N1 in locally raised pigs

South Korea on Monday (December 14) confirmed that pigs infected with swine flu have been found at domestic farms.

Infections were confirmed at five pig farms in Gyeonggi and North Gyeongsang provinces, the agriculture ministry said.

"For the first time we confirmed the presence of AH1N1 in locally raised pigs. We have...restricted movement of pigs in the areas," a ministry spokesman said.

The ministry has also found infections of the AH1N1 virus among pigs imported Nov. 11 from Canada, he said.

An investigation is still under way to determine whether infections have spread from humans to pigs, it said.

"The virus appeared to have spread from humans to pigs," Konkuk University veterinary professor Ryu Yong-soo told Yonhap news agency.

Ministry officials, however, say pork is safe to eat as people cannot get flu from eating pork or pork products.

A total of 117 people with the virus have died in South Korea.