Saturday, May 2, 2009

Canada Has First Global Case of Flu From Human to Pig (Update1)


By Greg Quinn

May 2 (Bloomberg) -- Canada reported the world’s first case of the swine flu jumping to pigs from a human, probably after a farm worker in the province of Alberta became ill during a trip to Mexico.

About 10 percent of the Alberta farm’s 2,200 pigs showed symptoms of the same H1N1 strain that has spread across the globe. They are recovering “on their own,” said Dr. Brian Evans, executive vice president of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

“This is the first detection that has been made,” of the virus moving from a human to a pig, Evans told reporters in Ottawa today. The animals have been quarantined and there is no risk to the food supply, he said.

There are 85 people in Canada who have contracted swine flu, Chief Public Health Officer Dr. David Butler-Jones said at the press conference. Most have reported mild symptoms.

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