Swine flu: state bans imports of pigs, pork products

Swine flu or to politically correct Flu A that started in Mexico is worrying governments as far off as Africa. In Zambia government May 2 announced a ban of importa of pigs and pork products from countries reporting severe cases of swine flu.

Agriculture minister Bradford Machila announced at a press briefing May 1 that there no restrictions of movement of pig and pork products within the country though the normal procedure for stock movement is to be strictly followed. He said there was no evidence that the virus was a threat to the food chain and that there was no evidence that the flu in Mexico and the United State was preceded by an outbreak of swine flu.
"Swine flu viruses are not spread by cooked food and you cannot be infected by eating well cooked pork or pork products. However, one can get infection during the preparation of contaminated pork and pork products," he said.

He said swine flu should not be confused with African Swine Fever which is a disease of pigs only and does not affect humans. He said his ministry through the national response plan for avian flu has started scaling up surveillance in pigs.