BJORNERUD SUPPORTS H1N1 NAMING AGREEMENT

Agriculture Minister Bob Bjornerud is pleased to support the joint statement signed at the recent Tri-National Agriculture Accord in Gimli, Manitoba, regarding use of the correct terminology for H1N1. The statement was signed by delegates from Canada, the United States and Mexico.

The statement encourages the use of the term "H1N1 influenza virus" at all times, as opposed to the colloquial term "Swine Flu" which is a mischaracterization that has caused undue hardship to the Canadian pork industry.

"I know pork producers across Saskatchewan have been hit hard by this latest adversity, in addition to the challenges they were already facing," Bjornerud said. "I hope this joint statement will help to remind people that there are implications to everything we say and do, so we need to be diligent when we refer to the H1N1 influenza virus."

The joint statement references recent comments from the International Society for Infectious Diseases which says "...since we know nothing of how this particular virus has gotten into the human population but there apparently is no history of swine exposure, it probably makes more sense epidemiologically to refer to this simply as an H1N1 influenza virus."

Health officials have repeatedly documented and affirmed that pork is safe to eat, and that there is no threat to people from consuming properly handled and cooked pork. However; use of the colloquial term for the H1N1 influenza virus has contributed to a number of misconceptions about pork, adversely affecting pork producers, processors and distributors.

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For more information, contact:

Jenna Webb
Agriculture
Regina
Phone: 306-787-2359
Email: jenna.webb@gov.sk.ca