From the NY Times: Egypt has begun forcibly slaughtering the country’s pig herds as a precaution against swine flu, a move that the United Nations described as “a real mistake” and one that is prompting anger among the country’s pig farmers. Tags: Swine Flu The Egyptian government has begun slaughtering all of the pigs in the country. MORE

Oh, and I forgot to tell you that I had been so run down that I was coughing and had lost my voice (no, not swine flu) and then developed a fever. This, dear readers, is my new obsession. MORE

According to theASPCA dogs have little chance of contracting swine flu. Pet pigs may contract swine flu. Ferrets and birds may develop swine flu, or other human flu viruses. Avoid exposing your pet to people and animals with flu symptoms. With the latest news of finding the virus in a cat, here is an update about the H1N1 virus and how it affects your pets. Dogs are safe. Good news. MORE

A Canadian man has apparently infected some pigs after catching the flu on a trip to Mexico. Tags: Swine Flu From the article: About 10 percent of the Alberta farm’s 2,200 pigs showed symptoms of the same H1N1 strain that has spread across the globe. They are recovering “on their own,” said Dr. Brian Evans, executive vice president of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. MORE

I wasn't feeling well yesterday, and every time I coughed someone asked me if I had swine flu, by the way, so I plopped myself on the couch to watch some TV. MORE

To the Editor: Re “Officials Point to Swine Flu in New York” (front page, April 26): Dare we ask why this happening [sic]? While its exact origin is still unclear, this pathogen, and many others (like avian influenza), originated from animals being raised or eaten for food. As the world moves toward raising the majority of animals in the unnatural setting of factory farms, it is likely that more, and worse, such pathogens will arise. MORE

We know that bird flu developed in the world's vast poultry farms. Tags: meat Swine Flu factory farm agribusiness Very interesting opinion piece about how factory farms facilitate the rapid spread of viruses into the food supply. Will our desire to mass-produce cheap meat end in a health disaster? From the Independent. How much harm will we do to ourselves in the name of cheap meat? MORE

Tags: Swine Flu factory farm MORE

According to the New York Times, “Egypt ordered the pig slaughter even though there hasn’t been a single case of swine flu there and no evidence that pigs have spread the disease.&# Tags: Animal Cruelty Factory Farming Farmed Animals animal suffering international news pictures pigs swine flu Source: NY Times online. MORE