The total number of swine flu-infected people has surged to more than 15,500 in 57countries, with over 110 people who have lost their lives to the virus. Over the past month, the total number of infected people confirmed in the US alone rose from just a handful to around 9,000. Even so, the actual number of affected people, including those who were not tested, is believed to be as high as 100,000. Countries with first-ever cases are added virtually daily, the latest including Bolivia, Cyprus, and Lebanon.

Experts fear that this may only be the beginning of multiple waves of the epidemic. The fact that swine flu is spreading even while it is not the winter flu season in the northern hemisphere has raised fears about this new virus’s potential long term threat.

As the International Society for Disease Surveillance research director Don Olson explained, “When you have a highly transmissible, immunologically novel virus, you can have widespread epidemics throughout summer. Our population level of immunity is just poor enough that we're kind of like dry wood.” With swine flu having raised the level of public awareness about the deplorable conditions endured by livestock-raised animals, more people are turning to vegan, soy-based pork alternatives – and loving it!

Supreme Master Television in Florida, USA, asked tasters for their comments after sampling some vegan sausage.

(Interviews in English)
Chad – Tasting vegan pork, USA (M): This tastes wonderful! Very wonderful! It’s got to be some sort of tofu, but it does have a wonderful flavor to it.

Dovydas – New vegan (M): It looks definitely like meat but it’s not, it’s not meat at all. Tastes great.

Aimee – Tasting vegan pork, USA (F): I thought it was very tender, and it had a good texture to it.

Movin’ Melvin – Vegetarian entertainer (M): Now that I started to taste yours, I think, “Oh, okay. This is really great.” It made me want to think that, “Okay, I can be a vegan also.” That’s it. You got to try it. A lot of people think, “Ah, no it’s going to be…” No, it’s great. You got to try it, I think.

VOICE: Taste testers were asked whether they would consider choosing veg alternatives if it could mean that factory farm pollution, gross animal suffering, and global public health risks could be eliminated.

Aimee (F): Yeah, if it was there for me to have all the time I would definitely choose that. 

Chad (M): I would absolutely eat those before I would eat anything that I thought an animal had been, had suffered. And if we can do something about swine flu or any other type of epidemic that would be wonderful.

VOICE: We thank the participants who sampled and shared their comments on the vegan pork products. Our sorrow meanwhile continues to go out for those who have succumbed to the current contagion as well as families and communities of the afflicted. We pray for a quick shift away from pig and other meat products to the wholesome, and tasty vegan alternatives for the benefit of all humanity.