H1N1 detected in live pigs imported into Singapore

S Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia 3 Sep 09;

SINGAPORE: Singapore's Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) has detected the pandemic A(H1N1) virus in some pigs imported into Singapore from Indonesia's Pulau Bulan.

But the AVA stressed that the pork available here is safe for consumption, as the H1N1 virus is not transmitted through the handling and consumption of pork and pork products including ham, bacon, sausages and canned pork.

AVA added it will step up its monitoring and inspection to ensure food safety.

It said it will take part in a comprehensive disease surveillance programme on the Pulau Bulan farm, led by the Indonesian authority. The aim is to identify and isolate affected pig houses.

Restricted animal movement will be imposed to ensure only healthy pigs are exported to Singapore. The AVA said this is in line with the World Organization for Animal Health's recommendation.

It added that Singapore has adequate sources of pork supplies from 25 countries.

Singapore's import of 1,000 pigs daily from Pulau Bulan constitutes some 20 per cent of the total pork consumed here.
- CNA/ir

H1N1 found in pigs, but pork safe to eat: AVA
Agency stepping up monitoring, inspection to ensure food safety here
Joyce Hooi, Business Times 4 Sep 09;

THE Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) announced that the H1N1 virus had been confirmed in 12 pig samples taken from pigs from a farm in Pulau Bulan, an Indonesian island, yesterday.

The farm, which is owned by KMP - a Singapore-registered firm - makes up 21 per cent of Singapore's pork supply. It is the island's only source of live pigs, with 1,000 pigs being imported daily from Pulau Bulan.

The AVA stressed, however, that pork sold in Singapore is safe to eat.

'We would like to assure Singaporeans that the pork available in Singapore is safe for consumption as we would ensure that only healthy pigs are exported to Singapore,' said Tan Poh Hong, AVA's chief executive officer.

Ms Tan also emphasised that world health authorities such as the World Health Organization, World Organisation for Animal Health and the Food and Agriculture Organization have stated that there is no evidence that the H1N1 virus is transmitted by food.

In addition, the health authorities have also said that pork and pork products handled in accordance with good hygienic practices will not be a source of infection. The cooking of pork to an internal temperature of 70° Celsius will also kill bacteria and viruses, including the H1N1 virus.

'Nevertheless, AVA is stepping up its monitoring and inspection to ensure food safety in Singapore,' said Ms Tan.

The 12 positive samples came from an overall sample size of 7,000 pigs on Sept 3, and were confirmed as carrying the same H1N1 virus that is affecting humans.

Of the 12, four had originated from the abattoir in Singapore and eight from the farm in Pulau Bulan. There are currently about 230,000 pigs on the farm.

To date, none of the 12 samples testing positive for the H1N1 virus have originated from the meat itself.

According to the AVA, workers in the abattoir have been donning personal protective equipment while working since April this year.

The AVA had been collecting samples from pigs to test for the virus since the outbreak of the disease in humans in April.

'When the AVA surveillance programme picked up the H1N1 virus in the samples, we put in place enhanced measures like weekly farm inspections and increased pre-export testing,' said Ms Tan.

The AVA will also participate in a comprehensive disease surveillance programmes on the farm which will be led by the Directorate-General of Lifestock Services, an Indonesian authority, to identify and isolate affected pig houses. The pigs that are known to be affected are already being isolated.

As things stand, the AVA does not see the supply of pork being a problem. 'We currently have 25 approved countries exporting pork and pork products, and we are constantly trying to diversify our suppliers,' said Ms Tan.

The H1N1 virus had earlier been detected on Canadian and Australian pig farms in April and July this year, respectively.

Local pork is safe
AVA gives assurance, even as it finds pigs infected with virus
Teo Xuanwei, Today Online 4 Sep 09;

EVEN as a small number of pigs from Singapore's sole source of live pigs have been found to be infected with the pandemic H1N1 virus, the health authorities yesterday assured consumers that they can't get the disease from eating pork or from handling such food items.

The Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) also said additional preventive measures are in place to ensure that only healthy pigs are imported here.

Since last Thursday, AVA inspectors have found 12 infected pigs from the Pulau Bulan farm in Indonesia which ships around 1,000 live porkers to Singapore daily.

Pork and pork products here are safe for consumption as there is no evidence that the H1N1 virus is transmitted through handling and consumption of food, said AVA. Studies so far have shown that the pandemic H1N1 virus only spreads between humans. Infections in pigs are localised to the respiratory tract and there is no circulation of the virus in the animals' bloodstream.

AVA inspectors have also not found traces of the virus in any meat being sold to meat traders so far.

Additional preventive measures include stepping up the frequency of inspections at the farm, isolating infected pigs, increased pre-export testing, as well as increasing the number of tests conducted on imported pigs at abattoirs here. Abattoir workers also wear protective equipment like face masks and shields, and gloves and aprons to prevent cross-contamination from pigs to humans.

AVA will also work with the Indonesian authorities in a disease surveillance programme at the Pulau Bulan farm.

Live pigs make up roughly one-fifth of pork supply here. Pork supply will not be affected for now, said AVA, as the spread of the virus at the farm has been limited. It also said Singapore has adequate sources of pork supplies from 25 countries.

H1N1 found in pigs from Indonesia
Jessica Lim, Straits Times 4 Sep 09;

THE Influenza A (H1N1) virus has been detected in pigs imported into Singapore from Indonesia's Pulau Bulan, Singapore's only source of live pigs.

Twelve pigs have been confirmed to have the virus, which causes infections in humans too.

But Singapore's Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) has given the assurance that there is no risk of people catching the virus from eating pork as H1N1 is not transmitted from handling meat.

Eight of the pigs are on the farm and have been isolated. The other four were sent to Singapore's only abattoir in Jurong, and slaughtered and sold.

It is not yet known how the pigs contracted the virus, though pigs in Australia and Canada have caught it through human handlers.

Ms Tan Poh Hong, AVA's chief executive officer, said the government agency has stepped up monitoring and inspection procedures. Inspections of the farm, which houses about 230,000 pigs at any time, are now done weekly instead of monthly. AVA also tests 60 pre-export samples a week now, instead of 15.

At the abattoir, about 100 samples are extracted from organs and meat every day for testing, up from 30. Workers wear protective gear such as face masks, aprons and gloves.

'We will continue to put measures in place to make sure only healthy pigs are brought into Singapore,' said Ms Tan. 'I would like to emphasise that pork available in Singapore is safe for consumption.'

Her assurance comes as pork sellers, told of the news yesterday, expressed concern that sales would fall.

There is no evidence that eating pork products poses an infection risk, said the World Health Organisation (WHO), a view shared by other experts. Dr Alex Thiermann, special adviser to the director-general of the World Organisation for Animal Health, told The Straits Times that H1N1 is not found in the bloodstream or meat of the pig, but only in respiratory secretions. 'The risk from eating pork is negligible,' he said.

About 1,000 live pigs are shipped from Pulau Bulan, in the Riau Islands, to Singapore daily, then transferred to the abattoir. Live pigs make up 21per cent of pork consumed here. The rest comes chilled or frozen from overseas.

Fresh pork over frozen is still the preferred choice for Mr Ong See Tat, 62, and his wife. The taxi driver said: 'When you cook it the virus will die. Anyway, H1N1 is mild.'

In the meantime, however, supermarket chain Shop N Save has recalled Indonesian pork from its shelves and replaced it with Australian pork.

NTUC FairPrice will not replenish its supplies from Pulau Bulan, for 'commercial reasons', it said, as it expects demand to fall, and will stock up on frozen and chilled pork.

Additional reporting by Amresh Gunasingham