SWINE FLU

The 2009 flu pandemic is a global outbreak of a new strain of influenza virus, officially named the "new H1N1", first identified in April 2009, and commonly called "Swine flu." It is thought to be a mutation of four known strains of the influenza A virus, subtype H1N1: one endemic in (normally infecting) humans, one endemic in birds, and two endemic in pigs (swine). Experts assume the virus "most likely" emerged from pigs in Asia, and was carried to North America by infected persons.] There is also evidence that the new strain had been circulating among pigs on other continents for years before infecting humans. But transmission is human to human, with cooked pork products safe to eat as the virus cannot be transmitted by eating foods.