Qld: Piggery in lockdown for suspected swine flu

AAP General News (Australia)
08-25-2009
Qld: Piggery in lockdown for suspected swine flu

By Angela Harper

BRISBANE, Aug 25 AAP - A Queensland piggery is in lockdown due to a possible swine
flu outbreak, with pigs testing positive for Influenza A.

Tests are underway to confirm infection of Influenza A(H1N1) - pandemic human swine
flu - which is suspected at the unnamed quarantined piggery on the outskirts of Dalby,
west of Brisbane.

Biosecurity Queensland chief vet Dr Ron Glanville said swabs and blood samples were
taken from pigs on Monday after a vet reported a large number of pigs in a shed of 450
were showing flu-like symptoms.

"Biosecurity officers have placed the piggery under quarantine and are implementing
strict on-site biosecurity measures," Dr Glanville said.

"This comes after positive tests for Influenza A were delivered to us late last night (Monday)."

Officials say no pigs had recently left the property.

Results of the swine flu tests are expected in the next few days but Dr Glanville suspects
the animals will test positive to the same strain affecting humans.

"The infection should be self-limiting within the piggery and the response is designed
to allow the disease to burn out as quickly as possible," he said.

Western Downs Regional Council mayor Ray Brown said he had confidence that all proper
measures had been taken.

"I have got faith in the government organisations to keep this under control," he told AAP.

"Also, the owners of this piggery are very professional people and I have great faith
in their ability to control this."

Australian Pork Limited chief executive Andrew Spencer said it was important to remember
there is no chance of the virus infecting meat.

"We have a situation where there are hundreds of thousands of Australians walking around
spreading these flu viruses around, so the expectation that we are not going to suffer
in the pig industry is a little over-optimistic," Mr Spencer told AAP.

"A number of piggeries are starting to become affected by this virus and that's an
issue we need to deal with on those piggeries and to again clean up the health status
of those piggeries and get rid of the disease."

A case of swine flu was detected at a piggery in northern Victoria last week and in NSW in July.

The initial outbreak of swine flu in April this year had a severe impact upon sales
of pork, which had since been restored, Mr Spencer said.

"Fortunately consumers are getting the message that there's absolutely no issue with
this disease and eating pork," he said.

Authorities are warning all pig owners to maintain strict biosecurity measures on their
properties and, if swine flu is suspected, call Biosecurity Queensland on 13 25 23.

Meanwhile, the deaths of a 35-year-old Cairns man and a 29-year-old woman from the
Gold Coast take the number of Queensland swine flu-related deaths to 30.

Ninety-three people with the swine flu are in hospital, including 32 in intensive care.

AAP ahe/pjo/dep/apm

KEYWORD: FLU QLD WRAP

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