H1N1 is not bird or swine flu: Department

The H1N1 flu currently spreading in the country was not bird or swine flu as erroneously stated in some media reports, the Department of Animal Production and Health said in a media release today.

It said that the current H1N1 flue was “not at all either Avian Influenza or Swine Influenza and just a seasonal flu outbreak.

“There could be a misunderstanding among livestock producers, consumers and also among political authority, because certain media had erroneously reported that Influenza HINI as Avian Influenza (Bird flu) or Swine Influenza (Swine flu),” the Department said.

The World Health Organization classified Influenza H1N1 as “Novel Influenza” in the latter part of 2009.

The Department said that the incidence causes an inconvenience to the Ministry of Social Services, Welfare & Livestock Development as well as to the Department of Animal Production and Health.

“Department of Animal Production & Health as the organization that is always committed continuously to provide technical information for the benefit and utmost progress of the livestock sector of the country, hereby clearly inform that the said Influenza H1N1 disease situation is not at all either Avian Influenza or Swine Influenza and it is just a flu outbreak circulating among people seasonally.

“Therefore it is stressed that there should be no fear to consume or distribute any animal product,” it said.