Deputy Director of Public Health Dr. Darren Hunt has confirmed at least three cases of people who contracted the swine flu directly from within the community, rather than from travel, with this type of transmission being two months earlier than experts had forecast. Dr. Hunt believes these cases are the initial indications that the swine flu will become more widespread throughout New Zealand.

Of the 30,000 cases documented globally, 60% or 18,000 of them are in the United States, where fatalities are at least 45 out of the 145 plus worldwide. The next highest tallies are in Mexico, Canada, Chile, and Australia, whose rapid spread in Victoria state had been a factor leading the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare its first pandemic in 41 years.

It has been established that the swine flu virus developed at least in part through the crowded conditions of pig farms. Today’s large pig farming operations are inevitably unsanitary. Not only do they harbor many different kinds of disease, but the suffering of the animals is apparent to those who visit them.

Former New Zealand pork industry spokesperson and comedian Mike King toured one farm that many say are typical worldwide, and commented as follows:

Mike King, New Zealand comedian and former spokesman of pork industry (m):
One pig just lying there, couldn’t even move, just froth everywhere. Then we walked past, there’s a, there’s a dead, dead pig. I thought it was asleep and I went to touch it – dead cold. Ur. Other pigs, you know, just looking depressed.

Went out to the fattening pens, there were pigs there couldn’t even walk, pigs that could barely stand up. Well, put it this way: if these were dogs, if these were horses, if these were sheep, if these were cows, if these were goats, these people would be in jail.

Pigs are curious animals, they are loving animals, but they’re all jumpy. This is disgusting! This should be illegal, and we should outlaw it right now.

VOICE: Our appreciation, Mr. King, for bringing more to light about the treatment of pigs in factory farms and for your courageous, forthright comments.

We continue to pray for the minimizing of the swine flu’s effect, wishing Godspeed to all who are recovering as well as a swift adoption of the compassionate vegan diet, giving peace to animals and humans alike. 

References

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/health/news/article.cfm?c_id=204&objectid=10578338
http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/World/Story/STIStory_390273.html