Flu News: WHO flu name shift attempts to absolve pork

The World Health Organization announced Thursday, April 30, that it will begin referring to the flu-that-everyone's-concerned-about as influenza A(H1N1). The commonly used name for the virus, swine flu, apparently was found to be misleading. For one thing, the virus appears to be a combination of swine, avian and human viruses. For another, the term may have caused unfounded concern about pigs and pork products.

WHO posted to its Web site a clarification about eating pork, noting that there is no risk of contracting H1N1 from properly prepared swine meat:

"Influenza viruses are not known to be transmissible to people through eating processed pork or other food products derived from pigs.

"Heat treatments commonly used in cooking meat (e.g. 70°C/160°F core temperature) will readily inactivate any viruses potentially present in raw meat products."

Voice of America reports that President Barack Obama has made the switch to H1N1 or "pandemic flu" after initially referring to the virus as swine flu.

On the Net:
www.who.int/mediacentre/news/statements/...
www.voanews.com/english/2009-04-30-voa56...