Swine flu piggery: Could virus jump species?

Posted 5 hours 4 minutes ago
Updated 4 hours 13 minutes ago
There are fears the virus could spread or jump species and cause more hardship in Dunedoo. (AFP: Raul Arboleda )


A farmer near the nation's first suspected outbreak of swine flu in livestock is urging authorities to swiftly contain the disease.
A decision is yet to be made on whether the pigs in central-west New South Wales will be destroyed.
Health authorities believe the pigs caught the virus from workers at the Danabar Piggery at Dunedoo, a community which has already been affected by the drought.
The piggery was placed in quarantine yesterday after some of the 2,000 pigs there were found to have swine flu.
Later this week test results are expected to confirm suspicions that pigs at the property contracted swine flu from five infected workers there.
A farmer in the region, Jim Ewin, says locals still battling drought conditions and fear the virus could spread or jump species.
"It must be pretty horrendous if it really gets a toehold," he said.
"Who knows where it's going to end up?"
Mr Ewin says he hopes the outbreak is stopped as soon as possible.
"I suppose the Government and all the medical places are doing as much as they can to pull it up," he said.
"But I just hope they get on top of it as quick as they can."
The National Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Disease is expected to meet again tomorrow to decide on whether the animals should be destroyed.
Strict biosecurity measures are in place and the property is under quarantine.