The Influenza A H1N1 virus (also known as “swine flu”) outbreak continues to challenge the globe, despite a pronouncement by the CDC’s acting director of “encouraging signs” concerning the severity of the outbreak. Still, various countries and international organizations are dealing with the possible spread of the virus and the effects on the world population.
Africa and the Middle East
Several African nations have taken measures ranging from bans on pork products, thermal monitoring of passengers at airports, and increasing stocks of medical supplies. A government mandated cull of pigs in Egypt led to street protests by its Christian minority. A Baghdad zoo put three wild boars to sleep, despite testing negative for “swine flu,” to overcome the “barrier of fear” that the virus was causing to zoo visitors.
World Health Organization (WHO)
The WHO is expected to move its warning meter up to phase 6, which indicates a full-blown pandemic of Influenza A H1N1. The WHO has been tracking a human to pig transmission of the virus in Canada, which could increase the threat of mutation and redistribution to humans. The WHO food safety experts are also looking to add “swine flu” to the infectious viruses that it normally monitors, rather than leaving it solely in the category of “farming issues.”
World Trade Organization (WTO)
The United States, Canada and Mexico have been engaging in careful public relations to separate the outbreak of “swine flu” with pork products. As of Monday, pork producers continued to suffer losses and pork futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange have lost 10-20% of value based on fears that pork meat is a carrier of the “swine flu” virus.
Canada is preparing to call on the World Trade Organization to reverse China’s ban on pork products from Canada’s Alberta province. Mexico has asked the WTO to investigate similar bans placed by China and Russia. Separately, Mexico is protesting the treatment of Mexican nationals in China since the outbreak began.
