ID :
58459
Thu, 04/30/2009 - 22:07
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/58459
The shortlink copeid
Swine flu outbreak not related to pigs: farmers group
SEOUL, April 30 (Yonhap) -- The swine flu outbreak that caused more than 150
deaths in Mexico is not related to pigs, the head of a local farmers' group said
Thursday.
Kim Dong-hwan, head of the Korea Swine Association, said there is no scientific
evidence linking hogs to the epidemic, and there is a need to correct public
misconceptions.
"No hogs in Mexico or anywhere else have been found to carry the virus that has
caused thousands of people to get sick around the world," he said.
The association chairman said because of public fears, there has been a 20
percent drop in local hog prices. The drop is hurting the livelihoods of hog
growers, who are already hard-pressed to cope with rising feed prices and the
impact of free trade agreements with countries like Chile.
He said local farmers are dismayed that a problem that has nothing to do with
them or the animals they raise is affecting consumer sentiment and rocking the
entire market.
"If we did something wrong, local farmers are willing to take the blame, but the
fear was caused by events that took place abroad, and based on unfounded
concerns," he said.
He said that even if there is no risk of pork being infected with the particular
strain of the H1N1 virus, the government should ban imports from North America to
alleviate public concerns.
"The announcement by the government that it will strengthen inspections only
fuels public concern that there may be something wrong with meat," he said. Kim
stressed that if Seoul does not plan to ban imports, it should not tighten
quarantine inspections, giving the wrong message.
Private experts also supported the view that the latest outbreak may not be
directly related to pigs.
Kim Chul-joong, a professor of veterinary medicine at Chungnam National
University, said the strain may have developed over time and could be a mutation
of swine, bird and human flu viruses. He said that genetically, the virus is
unlike the common swine flu.
Others like Park Seung-chul, an advisor for the Samsung Medical Center in Seoul,
said that although the World Health Organization has raised its alert level, all
evidence suggest the flu will not develop into a pandemic since deaths have been
limited mainly to Mexico.
The swine association, meanwhile, asked the local press not to use "swine" to
describe the latest outbreak because all evidence points to the disease being
transmitted between humans.
Others in the organization said because imported pork makes up 26 percent of the
local market, it is technically impossible to stop imports.
They, however, said there is a pressing need to stabilize prices.
There are roughly 7,800 hog farmers in the country raising around 9.5 million
animals, with 1.2 million being butchered every month on average. Most are
consumed in the country, but some are exported to Southeast Asia, Russia and
Japan.
Prices that stood at 5,000 won per kg late last week dropped to as low as 3,700
won on Wednesday.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)
deaths in Mexico is not related to pigs, the head of a local farmers' group said
Thursday.
Kim Dong-hwan, head of the Korea Swine Association, said there is no scientific
evidence linking hogs to the epidemic, and there is a need to correct public
misconceptions.
"No hogs in Mexico or anywhere else have been found to carry the virus that has
caused thousands of people to get sick around the world," he said.
The association chairman said because of public fears, there has been a 20
percent drop in local hog prices. The drop is hurting the livelihoods of hog
growers, who are already hard-pressed to cope with rising feed prices and the
impact of free trade agreements with countries like Chile.
He said local farmers are dismayed that a problem that has nothing to do with
them or the animals they raise is affecting consumer sentiment and rocking the
entire market.
"If we did something wrong, local farmers are willing to take the blame, but the
fear was caused by events that took place abroad, and based on unfounded
concerns," he said.
He said that even if there is no risk of pork being infected with the particular
strain of the H1N1 virus, the government should ban imports from North America to
alleviate public concerns.
"The announcement by the government that it will strengthen inspections only
fuels public concern that there may be something wrong with meat," he said. Kim
stressed that if Seoul does not plan to ban imports, it should not tighten
quarantine inspections, giving the wrong message.
Private experts also supported the view that the latest outbreak may not be
directly related to pigs.
Kim Chul-joong, a professor of veterinary medicine at Chungnam National
University, said the strain may have developed over time and could be a mutation
of swine, bird and human flu viruses. He said that genetically, the virus is
unlike the common swine flu.
Others like Park Seung-chul, an advisor for the Samsung Medical Center in Seoul,
said that although the World Health Organization has raised its alert level, all
evidence suggest the flu will not develop into a pandemic since deaths have been
limited mainly to Mexico.
The swine association, meanwhile, asked the local press not to use "swine" to
describe the latest outbreak because all evidence points to the disease being
transmitted between humans.
Others in the organization said because imported pork makes up 26 percent of the
local market, it is technically impossible to stop imports.
They, however, said there is a pressing need to stabilize prices.
There are roughly 7,800 hog farmers in the country raising around 9.5 million
animals, with 1.2 million being butchered every month on average. Most are
consumed in the country, but some are exported to Southeast Asia, Russia and
Japan.
Prices that stood at 5,000 won per kg late last week dropped to as low as 3,700
won on Wednesday.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)
